


Wild Card

by asoulofstars, MissChrisDaae



Series: The Foster Edition [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awesome Frigga (Marvel), Awesome Jane Foster, BAMF Betty Ross, F/M, Female Friendship, Fix-It, Frigga (Marvel) Lives, Jewish Jane Foster, Magic and Science, Odin's A+ Parenting, Thor Is Not Stupid, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2018-03-30 12:03:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 33,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3936100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asoulofstars/pseuds/asoulofstars, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissChrisDaae/pseuds/MissChrisDaae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Separation is, for Thor and Jane, a little easier in knowing what's happening to each other, but they have their own trials to face.</p><p>In the midst of a war, Thor learns of a force greater than anything he has ever faced, one that could change the fates of both himself and and the woman he loves. Nothing is certain, and the burdens of his family, his life, and his love are weighing heavily upon him.</p><p>Working with Betty Ross, Jane works to understand the secrets of the universe, unaware of the fact that she's being tested with every move she makes. When she temporarily moves to look after her mother's house in London, she and Darcy come across the Convergence. And, for the third time, Jane's life is turned upside down by an ancient force from another realm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wisdom and War

The Tesseract deposited the two princes at the edge of the Bifröst, where the new observatory was already under construction. Waiting for them were Sif, the Warriors Three and several Einherjar. Loki released his hold on the Tesseract and raised his chained hands to remove the muzzle. "Did you all miss me, then?" he asked dryly, smirking at those assembled. The Einherjar approached him, producing more chains to secure the trickster and leading him away. Hesitantly, Sif came towards Thor, concern clear in her hazel eyes.

"Let me take it," she offered, holding out her hands for the Tesseract. "I can see it placed in the vaults, you look weary."

"Thank you…" Thor murmured, passing it to her distractedly. The others all shifted, clearly concerned about him but unsure of what to say.

"Perhaps we could go for a round or two at the taverns?" Fandral suggested. "You can tell us of the battle."

"Perhaps later," Thor answered distractedly, glancing over his shoulder. "As Sif said, I’m weary. This has not been a kind experience to me."

"What of your lovely Jane?" Clearly Fandral was not about to let Thor slip away so easily. "Surely she was a kind experience."

"Leave him be." It was Hogun who came to Thor’s rescue, and Thor gave the Vanir a grateful smile.

"There’s something I need to take care of," he apologized, taking Mjölnir from his hip and spinning it into the air. As he flew, he could see the figures of Loki and the Einherjar beneath him, but it did not deter him from the task at hand. Within moments, he had landed on a balcony of the palace, much to the delight of its youngest occupants.

"Uncle!" Thor managed to set Mjölnir down just as Váli and Narvi leapt at him and into his arms. In spite of his fatigue, he couldn't help laughing at his nephews' antics. But he sobered at the sight of their mother.

Though she still retained all the innate beauty and grace one might associate with a daughter of Freyja, the light was gone from Sigyn.  Her blue eyes had lost their sparkle, her skin had grown pale and even her hair seemed lackluster. "Welcome home, brother," she said softly. "Boys, get off of him and go into the nursery."

"But we want to play with Uncle!"

"Did you bring us anything?"

"No, I didn't. Do as your mother says." Thor made for the hammer as if he were about to wield it, and the twins yelped, jumping off him and scrambling off to their nursery. "Sigyn, I—"

"Walk with me," she interrupted, picking up a black shawl from the long couch and wrapping it around her shoulders as she descended the terrace stairs. Thor followed her down into the private gardens that Loki had commissioned for his wife's use after the birth of their sons. "He's here, isn't he? You found him."

Thor nodded, barely able to look at her. "Sigyn, I—"

"Will you think me cruel if I say I wish that he _had_ died?" She said it with such bluntness that Thor was genuinely astounded. Sigyn was known throughout the realms for her fierce loyalty and devotion to Loki, even after he had been thought dead. For her to say something like this was akin to hearing Sif declare herself no longer a warrior.

"You've suffered for his actions, and for my own part in them, I'm truly sorry—"

"What do you think it will do to them?" she asked, playing with the silver thread that was woven through the heavy black silk. "My boys... What future is there for them that won't be marked by people whispering against the sons of Loki the traitor?"

"You know I won't let anything happen to them, or to you," Thor reminded her gently. "You are family."

"You're one man. And you can't shield them from everything," Sigyn countered. "Even if your father executes him, no one will ever let Váli and Narvi forget it. When he fell, it was just a tragedy. Now, their father is... He's...." She let out a little sob. "He's here, but he's... changed. And, Norns help me, somehow, I love him still."

"I wish I could say that he's lost somewhere in his own mind... But, given all that passed, it's... It's difficult."

"He has always had a vicious, jealous side." Thor immediately felt a stab of guilt. Compared to Sigyn's suffering, the wrongs Loki had done him seemed minuscule. He then realized she was still speaking, and refocused his attention. "I don't want that to overshadow the good parts of him... He loved them so dearly.... Our boys, our precious boys..."

"He was a wonderful father. And I will do all I can for the boys, Sigyn, you know I will."

She smiled, shaking her head slightly. "You have more pressing matters demanding your attention. We'll be fine, brother. We always find a way to survive. It's the dwarf in me."

"I can stay a while longer," Thor offered, and she shook her head.

"Your father is going to need your help far more than I. But if you come by every now and then to see us, I'd appreciate it."

* * *

Jane stared at the to-go box of boneless buffalo wings in her lap, wishing she was allowed to dip them in blue cheese sauce, rather than buying a heap of bread rolls, but, such was life.

"You don't really still believe that God's gonna send you to hell if you have cheese and meat together, do you? I mean, after you've sucked face with a Norse god? Doesn't that count as a sin?"

"Alien," Jane corrected, popping a wing in her mouth, followed by a chunk of bread roll. "He's an alien, not a god. And since I am not making a false idol out of him, no, it's not a sin."

"I think his biceps and his ass beg to differ."

"We are not going down this line of conversation."

"Jane, that is no mere mortal booty. Are you saying you wouldn’t go on your knees for him if he asked—"

"Would I… Do you even _hear_ yourself?!? I would hit you if you weren't driving right now!"

"Okay, okay, fine. Changing the subject. Why are you recruiting a cellular biologist to the team, when you're an astrophysicist?"

"I'm have a new hypothesis that I want to test out. If Yggdrasil is literal."

"Egg-drill?"

"IGG-dris-ill," Jane repeated the word slowly. "Having given this due consideration, I think it's important to be open to the idea that our cosmos is linked by a very literal ash tree. And if that hypothesis is right, I want someone on the team who can recognize it, and study it. Besides," she grinned a little, "I saw Betty in a quantum biology course at one point at Harvard. And she's worked with Bruce Banner. She'll understand what we're doing, even if she doesn't have a Ph.D. in it."

"Okay, fair enough. Next topic. You're paying me back for that international phone call."

"Darcy, I _had_ to call you, you're the only hacker I know, and the scepter made Erik smart enough not to use the same password he does for literally everything else."

"Kind of weird that the date he uses is the date your dad die—"

"Don't start."

"I'm just saying—"

"Well, don't."

"Is there anything I _am_ allowed to talk about?"

"No, just keep driving and let me eat my lunch."

"Can I listen to music?"

"Fine." After about five songs from the Hot 100, Jane had finished off her wings and the bread rolls, along with three bottles of water.

"Damn, do you need to pee?" Darcy asked dryly.

"Not at the moment."

"You know, you wear cotton blends."

"So?"

"Do you think God is going to punish you for that?"

"Okay, that's a common misconception. _Shatnez_ forbids the mixing of wool and linen. God will not punish me for wearing cotton blends."

"Well, I'm pretty sure you've worked after sunset on a Friday and forgotten to do the sabbath ritual stuff."

"Well, there wasn't really anywhere to get challah bread in Puente Antiguo, and we didn't have an oven for me to make my own."

"Plus you can burn ice."

"That is literally impossible, and why are we even discussing my Jewish heritage?"

"Because I literally didn’t know about it until you mentioned it at the Silver Diner to the waitress. And I was your intern for six months, how did I never see you going to temple or whatever?"

"Because there wasn’t a synagogue nearby. Usually, I attend Shabbats and worship with the Jewish Student Union when on Culver’s campus. But what I believe above all else is that I'm living my life with the proper amount of love and respect, both for God and my fellow humans."

"And aliens."

" _Darcy_."

"Okay, you caught me, I'm sorry. I just have theology on the brain, they pulled me out to Norway right after my world religions final. And I missed my graduation."

"We can get your degree on campus. Are you really going to tell me you're upset about not having to wear a cap and gown and sit outside for hours on a hot Virginia day?"

"True.... But am I gonna get paid now?"

"I think we have it in the budget." Jane tapped the glove compartment where Stark's check was safely tucked away.

"Awesome."

* * *

Thor found his mother in the room he and Loki had occupied as children, sitting on Loki's bed with one of their toys resting in her lap. "You grew up too quickly," she murmured. "We should have given you more time to be children before making you become men."

"We can't change that now, can we?" Thor pointed out, sitting beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders. He could smell freesia in her hair and lavender on her skin, and, for a moment, he _was_ a child again. "I tried—"

"I know, my darling. But don't blame yourself, there is no one person to blame in all of this." Frigga moved a hand to rest on the top of her elder son's head. "Such is very rarely the case, and yet, one will always seem to suffer the most for the mistakes of many, including their own."

"Is this meant to make me feel better?"

"Only time can do that, Thor."

"There will still be a scar, won’t there?" he asked, giving a sigh. For a moment, they both sat there in silence, before Frigga spoke again.

"He asked me what hope there was for you when he and I sat over your sleeping father. Looking back, I could have done more to reach out to him, but what I told him was that there was always a purpose to everything your father does. If he still has hope for Loki, we will see in time."

"Like we did the first time Father kept his intentions to himself?" Thor couldn’t stop himself from the comment, but he regretted it the minute the words left his mouth. Frigga pursed her lips.

"Your father needs your support now. The realms need to see our family unified. And this is a next step for you as well, a step towards your future."

"I think that there might be differing opinions as to what that future will be." Something told him that his father would not see Jane as being part of it, but Thor could not imagine such a thing.

"Everything in its own time, Thor. The best we can do now is live each day as best we can."

"I only hope that this set of days won’t last too long. I… I made a deal." Frigga laughed warmly, making Thor’s cheeks burn hot as the surface of Muspelheim.

"You’ll be able to keep it. That much I know." She tousled his hair, smiling at him again. "And I am very much looking forward to meeting Jane Foster myself."


	2. Friends and Falsehoods

"So, you can take the guest room, and Darcy can use the futon in the basement."

"There aren’t gross things in the basement, are there?" Darcy asked from the back of their little tour group. "Like… I don’t want to wake up to Frenching a rat."

Betty giggled. "No, I don’t have any rats in my basement. But you will be right next to the laundry room, I’ll warn you now. It’s fairly quiet, but every so often, the dryer makes a very loud squeak."

"I can live with squeaky dryers, I’ve slept through much worse. Like, at least five different house parties."

"Betty, I can’t tell you how much we appreciate this," Jane said, trying not to gush. "I thought for sure we were going to have to apply for housing through the university, and you _know_ how much of a nightmare that is."

"Not a problem. Tell you what, why don’t we all just go out for a girls’ night tonight? We can start work tomorrow, but  I think we can all use a break tonight. Darcy had a long flight, you were fighting off an alien invasion, and I’ve spent most of today grading papers."

"You win for the roughest day," Jane deadpanned, and they all laughed. "So, should we call it a night?"

"No way, the night’s still young! Let’s go out!" Darcy insisted. "I want to get totally boozed up!"

"I think we can do a round or two at Stanley’s," Betty agreed. "And they just introduced baked ziti pizza there, Jane, you’d love it. Totally okay with your dietary style."

"You’re not going to give up until I agree, are you?" Jane smiled weakly at them. "Fine, we can go out."

"Good. And I think we should make a point to have one night a week where we do non-science-y stuff." Darcy pulled out the keys to the car from her coat pocket, jingling them. "Who wants shotgun?"

"Why don’t we walk? It’s a really beautiful evening out."

"We could be out late, it’s probably better that we do drive," Jane pointed out. "And _I’ll_ be the designated driver."

"There’s a shock," Betty said, grabbing her coat as they headed out the door. "I don’t remember a time when you _weren’t_ the DD for anything."

"Well, I’m a lightweight, if I drink one beer, I’m pretty much screwed." Jane took the keys from Darcy and got into the driver’s seat, adjusting it to better accommodate her height. "Ugh, Darcy, your legs are way too long."

"My legs are sexy!"

"The sexiness of them is not in question." Jane put the car in gear and backed out of the driveway. "It’s the length."

"Yeah, well, you have shrimp legs."

"Guys, cut it out," Betty scolded as they drove down the street. "I’m going to kick you both out if you keep this up."

"Fine. Jane, I see a parking spot over there. Don’t hit a Greek deity while you’re parallel parking."

" _Darcy_ ," Jane and Betty groaned in unison as the intern cackled. Jane pulled into the space and locked the car once they were all out.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Stanley called out as they walked into the restaurant. "Welcome back, ladies."

"Hi, Stan," Jane laughed, grabbing a seat at the bar, Darcy and Betty not far behind. "Betty says you’ve got some kind of new pizza—"

"Have one on the house, we all saw you on TV," Stan cut her off. "Drinks too."

Several people immediately flocked over to Jane, bombarding her with questions about pretty much every Avenger.

"Hey, hey, give her some space, everyone back behind me," Darcy interrupted, pushing them all back. "The Doc’s not doing autographs right now. You’ll have to wait until her first press conference."

"Darcy, I’m not having a press con—"

"Shhh!" Darcy pushed a finger against Jane’s lips as Stan brought out beers for all three of them, and Betty and Darcy grabbed seats next to Jane. "No more talking about New York, we’re supposed to be having fun."

"Okay, then _you_ can tell us about Norway."

"Ugh, no way, I know she’s your mother, Jane, but does she ever talk about _anything_ other than Norse mythology? It was so weird! Stories about your boy toy and his psycho brother going to a wedding in drag to get Myeh-Myeh back from a giant!" Darcy took a long swig of her beer. "I did _not_ need that image."

"I think it’s kind of funny," Betty disagreed. "Can you imagine the rest of the Avengers in drag?"

"Oh, I’d pay cold hard cash to see Stark in a dress," Jane snorted.

"I bet he’d do it if you paid him enough," Darcy suggested. "Can we try it?"

"I don’t have his number."

"I can hack it—"

"No. He’s bankrolling us now, we are not risking this."

"Ugh, fine, what’s something fun we can do?"

"Best drunk stories?" Betty suggested.

"Mine are actually kind of boring,"  Darcy said, rolling her eyes. "I keep dating really vanilla guys, you know? It’s a little disappointing. I think they just want a chance to touch my girls."

Jane nearly gagged in her mouth."Darcy, please. No more."

"Here’s a deal for you, Jane, tell us how you lost it, and I’ll stop."

"It’s not that interesting a story."

"Then you’ll have no problem telling it."

"Will it shut you up completely?"

"I make no promises once I’ve gotten properly plastered."

"Now I’m curious," Betty interjected. "Come on, Jane, what’s the story?"

“It was during my doctoral research, at Harvard. I went to the _one_ party of my entire college career, and unknowingly got drunk eating those little cubes of watermelon, the kind that get injected with vodka."

"Love those," Darcy said, her mouth full of breadstick.

"Yeah, well, I was drunk and Keith Kincaid from medical was stoned, and we wound up in bed together. I don’t even remember what we did during the night, that’s how plastered I was."

"So how do you know you even banged him?"

"Trust me, I knew. Now, I’m moving sex off the list of discussion topics for the rest of the evening."

* * *

"You sent for me?"

"You did well in Alfheim. Now, I need you off the battlefield."

"I don’t understand." Thor frowned, following his father out of the study. "I thought you wanted me leading our forces—"

"Lady Sif will take command until you have finished with this task. It’s long past time you began learning the finer points of ruling. I want you to escort Sigyn and her sons to Ivaldi’s residence in Niðavellir, and then re-negotiate the weapons agreements we have with him."

The frown deepened, as Thor thought it over. He knew this was really a command, not a request, but even so, it seemed like the right thing to do. It also disturbed him that his father appeared to be distancing himself from Sigyn and the boys. "Yes, Father," he said finally. "When do you need me to be ready?"

"By morning. Do not disappoint me."

"I won’t, Father." Thor bowed and was about to leave for his own rooms, when Odin held up his hand.

"One other thing."

"Yes?"

"Remember who you are. And the position where you stand." Thor stiffened, knowing full well the subject that was being indirectly discussed.

"I have not forgotten for what feels like a long time now," he answered formally. "May I take my leave now?"

"Be ready for your task tomorrow."

"I will. Good night, Father."

Thor left his father without another word, and returned to his chambers, stripping out of his armor until the only thing he was wearing was the leather pouch on the cord around his neck as he entered the bath. When he had been very young, the little bag had been filled with protective charms, made by his mother’s hands, and enchanted against any damage. Now, the sole item inside was the lock of Jane’s hair, braided with one of his own. It hadn’t left his neck for an instant since his return to Asgard.

He missed her. As he closed his eyes and slipped beneath the water, letting the image of her face form on his closed eyelids.

He didn’t regret meeting her. He didn’t regret learning humility, and caution. But he was beginning to wonder if he was going to be able to keep paying the price. Loki was lost to them, and he could feel a void growing between himself and his father… And even with Sif, and the Three, things were different.

No. Things weren’t different. He was. Perhaps he had been since Loki fell into the void, and he was only just noticing now.

He resurfaced and climbed out, drying himself off with a towel from the nearby shelf before pulling on his robe and going out onto the balcony to stare up at the stars.

Twilight was beginning to set in, and the others would undoubtedly be gathering at one of their usual haunts, but at this moment, he would have preferred it if he could have flown somewhere far away. Or even back to earth. Just somewhere that had things make more sense. 

He wondered if Jane was doing the same thing at this moment, and found himself missing the rooftop in Puente Antiguo. In that moment, he’d accepted that a life on Earth would not have been the worst fate. But then again, he had thought his father dead, and the realms on the brink of war because of him. Jane had been far more than he had deserved in that moment.

He spent very little of the night sleeping, but rather, tossing around aimlessly in his bed and staring up at his ceiling as the room slowly grew lighter with the rising sun. Rubbing his eyes to force back the fatigue, he rose and dressed for the day before setting out to find Sigyn and the boys.

He found them in the solar, Sigyn tying on Narvi’s cloak and smoothing the curls of both twins away from their faces. "Now, remember," she told them softly. "Keep your heads up high. You are princes, and you must act like it. People might say cruel things, do not acknowledge them."

"Why do we have to go, I like it here!" Váli complained, stamping his feet and wriggling away. "This is home!"

"We’re going to see Pabbi," Sigyn answered wearily, and Thor suspected she had already answered this question several times. "And all your aunties and your uncles. Even Uncle Thor is coming with us."

"Are you going to stay?"

"Not for long, I have to keep helping with the war," Thor told him, offering a hand. "But you will be in good hands with your mother’s family." Váli refused the offer, turning in towards his brother and pressing their foreheads together instead. Sigyn sighed in defeat.

"We cannot delay any longer, just come along, boys." The twins obeyed, but they were dragging their feet and clearly resisting their new circumstances. It took what felt like an eternity to even get them out into the corridor, so Thor just lifted each of them up under an arm and carried them, ignoring their protests as they wriggled about in his grip. "Really, Thor," Sigyn clicked her tongue and shook her head. "I wanted them to have a little dignity. We’re not in any hurry."

"They were only getting slower."

"Put me down!" Váli shrieked, fists pounding on his uncle’s chest. "Put me down!" Narvi opted instead to just bite down on Thor’s hand, which proved the more effective method. Sigyn moved in to catch the younger twin as Thor let go, and she held her son up so they were eye to eye.

"That is _not_ how princes behave. Your father would be ashamed."

"Father’s not here," Váli said, finally breaking free. "And he didn’t care. Or he wouldn’t have left us."

"Váli!"

"Well, he did!"

"That’s not true!"

"Then why did he leave? And why isn’t he coming back?"

"He left because he fell from the Bifröst, by accident," Thor heard himself say. "And he isn’t coming back because it killed him." Both twins stopped and stared at him in mute horror, worry and shock at war on the face of their mother. "You both know what death is, don’t you?" They nodded solemnly, clasping hands tightly until their little fingers turned white.

"I’m sorry," he went on. "I know your mother didn’t want you to find out this way. But you shouldn’t be angry with her. If anyone, you should be angry with me. I didn’t catch him when he fell. And I should have."

"Then he loved us?" It was Narvi who spoke up, looking more afraid of the answer than anything else. Thor bent down to hug both his nephews close.

"He loved you like nothing else in this world. He always did. I promise." He gave them one last little squeeze before standing up. "Are you ready to go now?" They nodded, each taking one of his hands. Sigyn still looked concerned, but she followed them all the same.


	3. Projects and Prophecy

"So, I was thinking we could take a break from regular work this weekend and do some fundraising for the relief effort in New York. After you're done with Sabbath stuff obviously."

"What'd you have in mind? And, please, do not say bake sale, I _so_ cannot bake. You'd wind up with a burned down house."

"Can't bake?" Betty clucked her tongue, and scrunched up her nose. "Really, Jane, how do you live when you don't have a ready supply of Culver's finest cafeteria cuisine?"

"Mostly? Pop-Tarts, cereal, microwave dinners that adhere to my pseudo-kosher-ness, diner food..."

"And yet you're a twig. Ugh, I hate you."

"Well, I hate you for being taller than me. But I was thinking that next week, when Darcy gets back from seeing her Gammy, we should start the teleport experiments. Inorganic material first, but we should aim for plants by the end of the month—"

"Jane!" Both women stopped walking and turned to see a buff, blond man in a white coat power-walking towards them. Jane felt her stomach doing a weird flip and twist as she bit her lip.

"Betty, you go on to lunch without me. I'll catch up." The cellular biologist frowned, but nodded, hurrying off as Jane turned to face her ex. "Hello, Don."

"Hi... Look, this isn't about what you think it's about, I promise." He did that awkward shifting from one foot to the other that Jane had once found adorable. "I'm not here to get back together. I, um, just wanted to make sure you were okay, I saw you on TV, in New York, you looked pretty worn out."

"It was a long stretch of time," she said noncommittally. "And a lot of stuff happened. Erik is in worse shape than I am."

"Yeah, but Erik and I were never that close."

"Don, did you really come all the way from Albuquerque just to check on me?"

"I don't work in Albuquerque anymore, I made the move to DC six months ago."

"Oh… um… yeah, I guess that is a lot more reasonable…" Jane started fidgeting with her hair. "So, you've seen me now. You know I'm okay. It was nice to see you, but I should go, it's my lunch, and I have more work after..."

"I get it. If you ever want to meet for coffee, or something, just give me a call. You know, as friends."

"I don't think that's gonna happen, Don."

"Jane, come on. This isn't _When Harry Met Sally_ , it's entirely possible for us to hang out in a purely platonic way."

"I have a lot of work to do."

"You can't be married to science twenty-four/seven. That's why we broke up." Oh, god damn it, now they were getting into this bullshit? There went any chance of the conversation ending well.

"We broke up because you couldn't accept that my work was a part of who I am. You weren't willing to work with the flaws in me."

"Oh, come on, Jane, be realistic. What guy wants a girlfriend who does nothing but talk about wormholes?"

"Because being a physician is _so_ much more interesting?" she scowled at him. "And just so we’re clear, you're being _way_ too pushy, every second we're spending talking makes me feel less and less interested in being 'just friends,' and even _I_ know 'just friends' is code for rebound. And I won't buy into that, because I know now what it is to have someone love and support me, _and_ my work."

"Boyfriend in Canada?" The derision in his voice was impossible to miss, and his face has gotten a very ugly twist to it.

"Asgard, actually," she replied flippantly. "You might've seen him on TV with me. Tall, blonde, impossibly ripped, carrying a big hammer? Goes by Thor?"

"Oh, bullshit, there is no way you're dating the God of Thunder."

"He's a much better kisser than you."

"You're lying to me."

"And you're being a jerk. _That's_ why we didn't work, Don. At the end of the day, we didn't make each other better. Thor and I do. And even if I want to punch you in the face really badly right now, I'm just going to do this." She stuck out her hand to shake. "I hope you have a great life, Don. It just won't be one with me in it."

He stared at her like she'd grown another head, not taking her hand, just standing there with a very dull look in the dark eyes that used to make her smile. She gave him another minute. Nothing.  She shook her head, stuffed both hands in her pockets and turned to go catch up to Betty in the dining hall.

"What did he want?"

"'To make sure I was okay' was his official story." Jane did the most aggressive air quotation marks she could. "Then he asked me if I wanted to get coffee as friends. I said no."

"Seemed like you took longer than just that would take to say."

"Can we not talk about this? At all? Please."

"Okay, fine. Do you want to tell me about Thor instead?"

"Significant others of any kind are off limits, and I—" Jane was cut off by the buzz of the StarkPhone Tony had sent to replace the one SHIELD had taken back. "That’s my mum. Do you mind if I take this?"

"Oh, no, not at all."

Jane hit the _accept_ button, and her mother’s face appeared on the screen. "Jane, do I really have to do everything? Would it kill you to call your old mum every once in a while? I’ve been worried about you."

" _Mum,_ you’re not that old." Jane rolled her eyes, tilting the phone so Betty could see. "And clearly you weren’t _that_ worried, or you would’ve called from Norway, rather than waiting until you got back to England."

"Still so grumpy…" Elise shook her head. "Where did I go wrong with you…"

"You didn’t go wrong anywhere with her, Dr. Nelson," Betty promised, leaning in with a smile. "Jane’s great just as she is."

"Who is that?"

"This is my colleague, Dr. Betty Ross. She’s working with me on the Yggdrasil project."

"Always working, darling, take some time for yourself." Elise clucked her tongue.

"Says the woman who’s probably five seconds away from asking me all about Thor and Loki for work purposes."

"Living legends, Jane. How can I not be interested in such a thing?"

"Maybe by remembering that one of them has tried to kill me multiple times now," Jane deadpanned. "And he has a grip like a python, by the way."

"Is that really all you’ve learned about him?"

" _He was trying to kill me_ ," Jane said again. "Forgive me if I didn’t ask him if it was true about the eight legged horse or giant snake, or whatever else there is in the myths."

"Fair point, darling. What about Thor?"

"Um…" Jane ducked her head to hide her blush, fingers rubbing against the strip of Thor’s cloak around her wrist. "What’s a _handsal_? The explanation I got was kind of vague—"

" _JANE!"_ The shriek from the phone was so loud Jane covered the speaker so that no one else would hear it. She waited a minute before removing her hand. "The Vikings used _handsals_ to seal betrothal agreements."

Both Jane and Betty squeaked, and Jane nearly dropped the phone into Betty’s salad. "He… what… huh… be…"

"I think you broke her…." Betty’s concern was more than a little tainted by the fact that she was trying not to _cackle_. "Way to go, Dr. Nelson, I’ve never seen anyone do that to her."

"The gift of being a mum," Elise chuckled. "I’ll let you two be, but make sure she calls me later, alright, Betty, dear?"

"You’ve got it." The screen went black and Jane slowly unwound the fabric, staring at it with a new intensity. "You okay, future Mrs. Thunder God?"

"Not a god…." Jane mumbled. "I think I need to go breathe... or puke... something..."

"Oh, come on, Jane, I was just teasing." Betty stopped when she took a better look at Jane’s face. "Okay. Not funny, I'm sorry. If you want to go home, I can find something else to do this afternoon."

"Ask me in an hour." Jane grabbed an orange from one of the fruit baskets that were scattered throughout the dining hall, peeling it in one piece as she grabbed her stuff and headed to the library. She had research to do.

* * *

"And then I said—"

"No one cares, Var!" Daenn and Nabbi said in unison, and Thor held back a laugh. Any meal in the house of Ivaldi was rowdy, but it was especially the case this night, the twins having decided to come out of their rooms and join the rest of the family.

"You care, don't you, Prince Thor?" Var asked, batting her eyelashes as she pouted at Thor.

"I'm afraid I have never been one for stories," Thor lied, smiling at her as kindly as he could, without encouraging her obvious flirtations.

"Tell us one of yours," Lofn suggested, pulling out a dagger and polishing it with the edge of her sleeve. "An adventure you’ve had, a recent one." Sigyn bit her lip, shooting Thor a desperate look as the others shifted uncomfortably. Lofn seemed to realize the implications, and quickly changed the subject. "Or perhaps our young nephews would like a turn?"

"Is Grandmother Freyja going to be here?" Váli asked, using one of the bones on his plate to pretend at sparring with his brother. "I don't like how she looks at us, Amma Frigga is much better."

"Váli!" Sigyn blurted, scandalized at her elder son's candor. "Really, you shouldn't say such things."

"It's not as if being her daughters has ever done us any favors, Sig," Lofn said bluntly, and Thor shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Snotra, who had been silent through the entire meal stood.

" _I_ have a story," she announced in her slow, measured, quiet manner of speaking. "But I shall need play-actors for it, a mighty sorceress, two beautiful ladies, two strapping young warriors, and a valiant shield maiden."

The twins' faces lit up, and Sigyn managed to smile, even laughing a little. The full brood of Ivaldi's daughters stood, scooping up the sons of Loki and whisking them away.

"You'd better not have your eye on Var," Daenn warned, leaning towards Thor, "she's just a baby."

"Beautiful though your sisters all be, I am not for them," Thor reassured him. "I fear I am already too far gone in the charms of another. I had hoped to ask you something in regards to that, Lord Ivaldi."

"Courtship offerings for the Lady Sif?" Ivaldi asked with a chuckle and Thor choked on his own breath. In Asgard, Jane had become something of a legend, it hadn't occurred to him that such gossip would not have extended to the other realms.

"I—" He paused, regaining the air he needed before continuing. "I could no sooner wed Sif than I could see myself marry Sigyn. I love them both dearly, but it is the love a brother feels for a sister." He pulled the pouch out from beneath his tunic and removed the braided strands, holding them out in his palm. "Can you forge this into two rings? I can pay from my own—"

"No fee." Ivaldi plucked the braid from Thor, holding it up to his hooded eyes for inspection. "You brought Sigyn back to me safely, that is payment enough. Between the three of us, we can have it done by the morning, I think, yes, boys?" Daenn and Nabbi nodded eagerly, and Thor gave all three of them a genuine smile.

"I thank you. It means a great deal to me."

"It must be quite a woman that can so hold the eye of Thor Odinson," Nabbi remarked, obviously fishing for more information.

"Go get the forge started," Ivaldi ordered, shooing away his sons, and he did not speak again until he and Thor were alone. "I would warn you in private, son of Odin. I know full well the pain that these circumstances can bring. As my daughter does, in her way. I think you are right. In truth, I am glad this is not meant for the Lady Sif, as she is not suited to be your queen. A king needs a queen who balances him, a warrior need a sage. Chaos needs constancy."

"Which is why Loki and Sigyn suited one another so well after…." Thor stopped, looking down. "I am sorry, I didn’t mean—"

"Never mind it. Rings may be a bit much at this point. We will make them, but there should be enough here for something else too, something more appropriate . Nothing on the level of Brísingamen, mind you, nor Gungnir, but good pieces, I promise you that."

"Will they be receptive to enchantments?" Thor prompted. "I’ve had word from my father, he wishes me in Nornheim on the morrow, I can—"

"Dvalin lives nearby, and I am his liege-lord. I’ll send one of my boys with a message, and it _will_ be done. If you are for Nornheim, you should rest, even we below the rock know of the turmoil that has stricken them."

"You have my thanks, Ivaldi." Thor reached out, clasping the old dwarf’s hand, as he stood. There was a softness in the dark eyes looking back at him, that felt oddly comforting.

"You are kin to my daughter and grandsons, and so, kin to me. My house takes care of our own."

"I am honored you think so. Good night." He left the table, heading back to the chambers that had been granted him, when he saw Sigyn standing in the center of the corridor, her robe hanging loose, her hair wild, and her eyes oddly pale. "Sigyn, what is it?"

"You need to come with me." Her voice was off too, almost as if there were two of her speaking at once, one higher and one lower, not quite synchronized with one another, or the movement of her lips. Without giving him a chance to reply, she grabbed his wrist, pulling him along the stone tunnels, deeper and deeper into the heart of Niðavellir.

"Sigyn, what is going on? Where are you taking me?" She didn’t answer, not until they had descended into a cavern with a pool. And then Thor realized. "Sigyn, no, you know what that costs!"

" _The thing I fear contains the thing I need_ ," she intoned in the Old Tongue, letting go of his hand to strip bare and step into the pool. Thor reached out, trying to pull her back, but she moved out of his reach. The surface of the water began to spark and crackle with energy, and Sigyn let out a cry, throwing her head back. When she straightened, her eyes had gone from pale to luminescent. " _Hello, Odinson_."

Her voice had gone deeper, raspy and bone-chilling, and Thor shuddered, but he felt compelled to kneel, knowing the presence of the beings who had taken over his brother’s wife. "Norns _…"_ He bowed his head in respect.

" _Spare us the formalities, you are not here for such things,"_ the three sisters scoffed in unison. " _You are making changes, Odinson. Threads are shifting, growing and shortening. Casting such a large stone creates great ripples."_

"You speak of Jane," he guessed, raising his eyes slightly. He wished he hadn’t; her eyes seemed to be peering directly into his soul, analyzing him, learning every thought and feeling he’d ever had, and judging him for them.

" _Indeed. But let's not waste time. You've made a choice, haven't you?"_ Thor hesitated, and those eerie eyes flashed in warning as a particularly charged bolt surged through the air, narrowly missing him. " _Well? The threads do not change without reason!_ "

"I..."

_"SPIT IT OUT, BOY, OR IS ODIN'S FIRSTBORN AN IDIOT? AT YOUR AGE, YOUR FATHER SACRIFICED AN EYE AND NINE DAYS AND NIGHTS OF PAIN TO YGGDRASIL, THAT HE MIGHT GAIN KNOWLEDGE!"_

"I am well aware that I am not my father! But that has nothing to do with Jane—"

" _Foolish child, of course it—"_

"If I have altered my fate by deciding I want it to include Jane for as long as she will have me, and as long as I possibly can, that is my burden and mine alone!"

They laughed at him. And the laughter was infinitely more terrifying than their fury, as he felt it shake the very core of his being. " _Well done for a first test, young prince, but there are others to come. As there are for she you would have as your Queen._ "

Queen... In truth, Thor hadn't thought of that, only that he would spend what time Jane's mortal life had given them with her, as her husband, if she wanted, yes, but firmly in her world. The reaction from his father alone had made it clear that things would be difficult for Jane, he would never want to force that on her. It wasn't his right to do so. "I—"

" _Speak of this to no one. Particularly not to her, lest you void her own trials. The choice must be hers._ "

"What choice?" But they didn't answer him, as Sigyn gasped, collapsing onto the rocks in front of him as the power of the Norns dissipated. Thor pulled her up into his lap, wrapping her first in her discarded clothes, then in his own tunic. "Sigyn... Sigyn! Wake up, please... Sigyn, your boys..." She coughed once, opening her now tear-stained eyes as she struggled to breathe. "Are you alright?"

"Ask me... Ask me after a good night's sleep..." she whispered, curling into him like a child. With as much caution as he could, Thor stood, carrying her back the way they had came, and trying to ponder to what the Norns could have been alluding when they spoke of tests and the changes he and Jane were making.


	4. Discussions and Dreams

Jane pulled out her hair elastic, retying her ponytail as Darcy entered the data into their spreadsheet. "Do you think we can progress to the organismal level of testing, Betty?"

"Unicellular and plant life first, but yes," Betty said, sealing the Ziploc baggie with their latest test subject. "I still want to do our post-transfer tests on this, and report it back."

"That can work, I—" There was a knock on the door, cutting them off as an elderly African-American woman poked her head in the door.

"Dr. Foster? Dr. Ross? Ms. Lewis?"

"Dr. Scott! Hey!" Darcy chirped, waving at her. "What's up?"

"I'm sure you know that we have the summer institute students on campus, we were hoping that you would be willing to do a guest lecture this evening, they normally have a free period for study purposes, but given your recent... publicity, Dr. Foster, I thought it might be relevant and interesting to them."

"Quinn..." Jane pulled off her safety goggles, fiddling with them as she looked at her. "I'd love to, but I'm also kind of wary. I don't want this to be focused on my interactions with the Avengers or my personal life. Can you promise me that?"

Dr. Scott hesitated. "I can't guarantee anything, Jane, they're teenagers. And you're something of a minor celebrity."

"Minor? The Avengers wouldn't have saved the day without her!" Darcy scoffed, giving Jane one of those protective arms around the shoulder that Jane _hated_ she didn't have to scrunch down to accommodate. "She's so not minor!"

"Ms. Lewis." Scott used her 'associate director' voice. "Please."

"Sorry, ma'am," Darcy mumbled, covering her face with her definitely-not-lab-standard beanie as Jane debated.

"I don't want it getting sidetracked into all talk about the Avengers… but if I do this, we could get up on social media platforms like crazy.”

“Give them a bit of each,” Darcy suggested. “You’ll only answer one Avengers question after you’ve answered a science question. You’ll have their attention that way.”

“You three take the time to think it over. Just send me an email before dinner tonight,” Dr. Scott suggested. “I hope we will see you, though. Good luck with the rest of your work today.”

“Thank you, Dr. Scott,” they chorused in unison as she left the room.

“She’s nice,” Darcy mused. “Good choice for running the science camp thingy.”

“You think I should do this, then?” Jane asked.

“It’d definitely get you trending, get some exposure,” Darcy pointed out. “They’ll put the Avengers hashtag on it, and you’ll get noticed. That’ll help, right?”

“I guess…”

“I think you should do it, Jane,” Betty agreed. “Think of all the girls you could get interested in astrophysics, it’s such a male-dominated field at this point.”

“A big chunk of my work would be missing, though. When I quit SHIELD, they reminded me that I signed a confidentiality agreement, I can’t publicly address my work with them, and that covers everything I did with the Tesseract.”

“You probably wouldn’t get that far, though. Think about it like you’re explaining everything to me at the beginning of the internship,” suggested Darcy. “Obviously, they’re already more into it than I was, but the point still stands, right?”

“I mean, I guess… and it would’ve been nice if I could’ve had a chance for something like this when I was their age.”

“You sound like you’re in your late forties,” Betty giggled. “You’re barely even thirty.”

“I’m closer to thirty-one than I am to thirty, my birthday is in October and it’s June now.”

“Yeah? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“Well, I don’t make a fuss about it. It’s a day. It marks another year of converting oxygen into carbon dioxide. Nothing spectacular really.”

“Your birthdays must have _sucked_ growing up,” Darcy moaned. “We’re gonna make sure you have a good one when thirty-one rolls around.”

“It won’t be our night off, I don’t—”

“ _JANE!_ ” Darcy and Betty yelled in unison, Darcy swatting her with the beanie.

“You need to have fun more often, jeez.”

“We’re not having this argument again, I refuse to let that happen” Betty interrupted, holding up the baggie pointedly. “Come on, let’s move back to my lab, so we can get this examined properly.”

“It’d be so much easier if we were at least on the same _side_ of the science quad.” At this point, the complaint was par for the course from Darcy, and Jane and Betty just shook their heads as they packed up and started making their way out of the building.

Outside was grayer than usual for a summer day at Culver, and there was a distinct smell of petrichor in the air, making Jane smile slightly. They were barely off the stone steps of the Physics building when the first bolt of lightning split the sky, followed by a rumble of thunder. Approximately one hundred and fifty six seconds later, it started to pour.

While both Darcy and Betty swore, and scrambled across the grass in an effort to reach the overhang of the Biology center faster, Jane stood where she was, letting her face and hair soak in all the rain they could, while the waxy coating of her jacket and bag deflected the rest.

“Jane, are you crazy? You’ll get pneumonia!” she heard Darcy yell.

“I don’t care!” How could she when every drop felt like a kiss from Thor, sending little shivers through her whole body? Even the patter of the rainfall seemed to be a whisper of his voice, _Jane, I love you, I love you, I love you_. As another white flash crackled overhead, Jane’s left hand suddenly felt heavier. Surprised, she raised her fist and opened it, surprised to see a caramel colored leather pouch sitting in it, sparkly gold thread stitched along its side in the form of runes like the ones her mother studied. It had just appeared there as if by magic…. no, not magic. Some highly concentrated version of an Einstein-Rosen bridge, allowing for the inter-dimensional transfer of this object. She wondered how much power it must have taken to send even this small an item.

“Jane, hurry up!”

“Coming!” She stuck the little bag in her pocket and finished the trip across the yard, twisting out her wet hair on the steps before entering the building. “Sorry.”

“What just happened? What’s in your pocket?” Darcy prodded immediately. “We saw it… appear in your hand.” Reluctantly, Jane produced the pouch, holding it out for them to see. “Oh, come on, what’s inside it?”

“I don’t know, I only got it a minute ago, and we’re supposed to be going to the lab.”

“But this is so much more interesting! Come on, Jane, open it!” 

Even though she didn’t want to do it, Jane knew Darcy’s persistence would not let up, so she tugged open the drawstring top and felt around inside with her finger, brushing against something thin and metallic. She turned the pouch over into her other hand, and a golden chain almost as thin as a strand of hair fell into her palm. Dangling from the tiny golden loops was a band of two different colored metals, one sunny gold, the other a very dark but still warm shade of bronze, braided in and out so that she couldn’t tell where either began or ended. On the outside, it was studded with gems in every color of the rainbow, some that Jane wasn’t even sure had a name on earth. The inside had more runes etched into it, like the ones on the pouch.

“It’s beautiful,” Betty marveled, pulling out her glasses. “The detailing on the metal, it almost looks like… hair.”

Jane’s hand flew to the back of her neck, touching the little tuft that was at odds with the rest of her brown locks. “It _is_ hair. Mine, and his.”

“Hair can be forged into metal? How does that even work?”

“Magic,” Jane answered, pulling the chain up over her head and tucking it beneath her shirt next to the star of David. “Now come on, we’ve got a sample to examine and a talk to prepare for, if I want to give it tonight. Darcy, send that email to Dr. Scott, will you please?”

* * *

“Does the sky hold some answer only you can see?” Thor turned to see Sif standing at his elbow with half a smile on her face. “Don’t think I don’t see you, Thor Odinson. I know when your mind is wandering.”

“I thank you for your concern, my friend, but I assure you, I am well.”

“I didn’t think you weren’t well, that wasn’t what I said. And the fact that you’re avoiding giving me the answer leads me to the conclusion that the thing on your mind is Jane Foster.”

Thor’s right thumb rubbed at the still-new ring now sitting on his left hand as he pursed his lips. “Why do you say her name that way?”

“Because I know you. And I know that she’s changed you, I simply… cannot tell how at this point.”

“Loki said something similar.”

“In this case, he is not the only one to have thought it. He and I are just the only ones who have said it. That does not make me like him.”

“I never said that it did. Sif, please, just say what it is you wanted to ask me. I don’t like this skirting around.”

“What exactly do you intend to do about her? She’s mortal, Thor. She’ll die before the century is out, and yet, with how you’ve been… behaving when it comes to her—”

“Sif.”

“You think yourself in love with her, don’t you?”

“I don’t think. I know. I am sorry if that pains you, but I cannot lie.”

“And I would rather the pain of a single truth than a thousand gentle lies. As I think you would. So it worries me to see you apparently deceiving yourself into thinking there is a future with her. I have no wish to see you hurt by her loss.” Thor relaxed a little at that, and she frowned. “Don’t tell me you’ve been listening to the idle gossip of the soldiers.”

“I have ears, and they have difficulty speaking at an appropriate volume. I cannot exactly help overhearing.”

“You think me jealous of her place in your affections. And I understand why. It was expected, to a degree. Had things gone the way they should have, you would be king now, and I… suspect we would be betrothed or wed.”

“And is that what you want? Not only to be my wife, but also Queen?”

“That’s the part that doesn’t appeal to me. I’m sure I could be a good Queen if the circumstances required it, but I have no wish for it. I am a warrior, not a diplomat. And I would rather have the freedom to remain true to myself, however selfish that may seem.”

“I don’t think it’s selfish. I think it’s admirable.” He placed a hand on her shoulder, allowing a smile. “I am honored to call myself your friend.” This time, she returned the gesture.

“And when the time comes, I will be honored to call you my king.” They lingered in silence for a moment, only to be interrupted by the flash of rainbow lights overhead, a raven’s croak and a scroll falling into Thor’s outstretched hands. “New orders?” Sif guessed.

“Once we’ve settled everything here in Nornheim, we’re to head for Ria.”

“Kronans? Really?”

“They’re under our protection, in Niðavellir’s system,” he pointed out.

“Yes, but they’re a bore.”

“Once we’ve restored the peace, we can go find a whole herd of bilgesnipe. Or whatever quarry you’d prefer.”

“A generous offer, my prince.”

“I can afford to be so, my lady.”

“I should hope you two aren’t planning this little venture all by yourselves,” Fandral said loudly, coming up behind them. “When was the last time we all had such an excursion together?”

“Here,” Thor replied rather coolly. “When Loki was still with us.” Whether he had wanted it or not, the mood immediately soured, giving him a stab of guilt. “Forgive me, I fear the fatigue of battle has put me in an ill humor. I’m retiring now, but please, don’t let me spoil your evening.”

“The man is sick,” he heard Fandral mutter as he turned to go.

“Sick in the heart,” Sif corrected. “Leave him be, not all love so freely and frequently as you.” Her defense warmed Thor inside as he returned to his quarters, where, somewhat unsurprisingly, there was someone waiting for him.

“I’m sure far fewer men would go off to war if their mothers kept as close an eye on them as you do on me.”

“Would that be such a bad a thing?” Frigga’s image shimmered slightly as she smiled at him. “For fewer mothers to have to wonder and grieve over their sons’ fates?”

“We have this conversation every time you have to send me off to battle, must we have it again?”

“Yes, and every time that may come after,” she answered, eyes traveling down his chest as he began to unclasp his breastplate. “Really, Thor, all those marks. Do you watch yourself at all in combat?”

“I’m adjusting, Mother. It’s still an unfamiliar feeling, not having Loki fighting alongside me.” It was a very poor excuse, and they both knew it. “I’ll get better, I just need a little time.”

“Are you sleeping enough?”

“ _Mother_.”

“I will not stop worrying about you even after Ragnarok comes, you must know that.”

“And I am glad of it.” If he could, he would have embraced her, but as it was, he settled for a smile at her. “I know how lucky I am to have you for a mother.”

“Make sure you tend to yourself before sleep.”

“I will.”

“And watch over yourself a little more closely in battle. I don’t care what you’re used to doing.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Don’t sulk at me like that.”

“I am not sulking!”

“You’re a terrible liar, my darling, you will have to work on that if you want to be an effective king.” Thor couldn’t deny the frown that formed on his face at that. “That doesn’t mean you have to like it.”

“Good. I should think less of myself if I did like it.” Frigga cringed slightly at that, and another stab of guilt ran through Thor, right where Loki’s knife had gone during their battle. Though it was now an old hurt, the scar had not fully healed, but remained an ugly discoloration against his skin. He found he preferred it that way. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know you didn’t.” Frigga sighed, and reached out to him, as if to touch his cheek. “You look so much older, and in such a short time. It’s your eyes.”

“When this is over, I will try to seem the boy you raised once more.”

“No, Thor. The future is where we must look, and I would never send the boy you were into that place. Now, get some rest, you have another long day tomorrow.”

“I love you too, Mother.” He smiled wistfully as her image dissipated, then returned to stripping his clothes off so that he could attend to the collection of scrapes and bruises. They were rather extensive, though nothing that couldn’t be remedied by the salve with which Eir supplied all the army. There were one or two places that he struggled to reach, but he managed well enough before falling back on the bed, staring up into nothingness as his thumb found his ring once again and his eyelids began to drop…

And he dreamed. He dreamed he was standing on a beach, clothed in the same things he’d worn during his days exiled on Earth, but with his feet bare, sinking into the sand. The wind blew at a constant, but mild pace, and the waves relatively minimal.

Someone rushed straight through him, a little girl with wild brown hair, giggling as her tattered blue trousers became soaked and her shirt flapped in the wind. “Daddy!” she yelled, jumping into the arms of a man with hair the same shade as her own, though grey at the temples. The man laughed as they fell backwards into the sand.

“What’ve you got there, my little star?” he asked, ruffling her hair.

“Sand dollar. I thought we could give it to Tateh, so he could make a wish on it!”

“Great idea, but you’ll have to help me up, your daddy’s an old man.”

“Thor?” At the sound of his name, he turned, and Jane was standing maybe five paces from him, dressed in a gown of white that brushed her knees and fluttered in the breeze. “What are you doing here?”

“This is your dream?”

“A memory… My last summer with my father before he died, we went to Nantucket with his father… I called him Tateh… But you didn’t answer my question.” Her hand went up to her breastbone, and Thor caught a glimpse not only of the silver six-pointed star she’d worn when last they’d met, but also of the band he’d commissioned. So it had made the journey intact.

“I’m sorry for intruding on such a moment, I didn’t mean to, it’s…” He held up his hand, displaying the ring on his own finger. “It’s these.”

Jane moved closer, and took his hand in hers, examining it, and giving him the chance to see the strip of his cape he’d given her bound on her wrist. The sight of it made him smile. “It’s our hair, isn’t it? Braided together.”

“It is.”

“Hmmm.” She released her grip, looking up at him rather pensively. “Did you know, when you had these made, what it means for a man to give a woman a ring on earth?”

“I had not thought about it.”

“It means he’s asking her to marry him.” Ah. That.

“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it, Jane. The idea of us having a future together is one that I cherish.”

Her lips pursed, and her finger tapped against her ring as she looked down at the sand, then back up at him. “I want you to ask me properly, when we see each other again in reality.”

“Gladly.”

“That means doing your research.”

He could not help laughing at that, nor the way she was now pouting at him. “Of course you would ask that. Very well, as you wish.”

“Smartass…” she muttered, shaking her head. “Why the hell do I love you….”

“I could ask the same question, you did hit me twice with a truck.”

“Oh, come on!” she groaned. “You can’t seriously be holding that against me after this long.”

“Only because you make the most adorable expressions when I bring it up, _hjarta_ ,” he replied, leaning down to kiss her. She dissolved into laughter against his lips, and jumped a little, disorienting him enough that they fell back in the same fashion as the memory of the smaller Jane and her father. Jane deepened the kiss as the spray of the ocean touched them and he rolled slightly to get them out of the way, which only led to her collapsing beside him, still laughing.

“We’ll have to do this for real when you get back,” she gasped as her breath returned. “You could fly us out, I never get tired of flying… But tell me what’s going on for you, I want to hear everything.”

“I’m not certain how much there is to tell…”

“Then tell me, and when you’re done, I’ll tell you what I’ve been up to. It’s not exactly the normal way of dating, but then again, what part of us has ever been normal?”

“What indeed,” he murmured, reaching out to touch her cheek and smile. “But then, I don’t think I’d have it any other way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year, my lovelies.


	5. Meetings and Memories

“You seem even happier than usual.”

“Kelsey, the girl who asked about the difference between Schwarzschild wormholes and Lorentzian traversable wormholes, and I were going back and forth half the night over e-mail about the functionality of each, and which would be the more practical, and then I had a _great_ night’s sleep,” Jane answered cheerfully as she poured herself a bowl of cereal.

“Jane, you hate sleeping,” Darcy said, her mouth full of a waffle. "You think sleep is a waste of precious stargazing time, there were times in New Mexico when you would sleep on the couch for four hours during the day. Some days, you didn’t even make it to the couch.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It is, and the bags under your eyes would agree with me!”

“I have hemorrhoid cream for that behind the mirror in my bathroom, if you want to use some of it, Jane,” Betty offered, opening the waffle iron again. “You want blueberries in your waffle?”

“I’m not a waffle person, I’ll stick with the cereal,” Jane said through a mouthful of granola. Her cell phone buzzed at her hip, and she pulled it out, putting it up to her ear. “Hello?”

“ _Miss Foster, I am calling on behalf of the World Security Council, we would like to see you at the Triskelion in Washington DC today at 11:00 AM._ ” The voice was clipped, almost mechanical in its delivery to the point of making it hard to identify the gender of its owner, and Jane shivered a little bit. “ _Come alone. Punctuality is expected._ ” With that, the call ended, and the three women exchanged glances between themselves, then checked the clock on the microwave. 9:45 AM. 

“I’ll get your train ticket,” Betty said, breaking the silence. “It’ll save you trying to find a parking space in DC. You better go get changed into something….more professional.”

“And brush your hair!” added Darcy. Jane slammed her face into the cereal bowl and shoved as much of the mixture as she could into her mouth before running back into her bedroom to find the pantsuit she wore at interviews and grant meetings and the like.

Why did the World Security Council want to see her? Was it about her talk with the summer students? She’d checked her contract multiple times, she hadn’t violated any of it. Once she got the pants and blouse on, she stumbled into the bathroom to brush her teeth and pull her hair into a no-nonsense ponytail. Suddenly, the late night email session with Kelsey seemed like a bad idea, as she scrambled to find a pair of heels that wouldn’t be a risk for toppling over. Was she overthinking it? Was she doing too much?

“JANE! HURRY UP, WE GOTTA GET YOU TO THE TRAIN STATION!”

“COMING!” Jane grabbed the first pair of black pumps in reach to stuff in her bag and jammed her feet into her loafers as she scrambled out.

“You’re not going to wear makeup?”

“No time!”

“Here.” Betty tossed her a small makeup kit as they both headed for the door.“Work on it while I drive you to the station, come on. Darcy, don’t go anywhere.”

“Wasn’t planning on it. I’ll make more waffles. Good luck, Jane!”

“Don’t burn down Betty’s house!” Jane shouted as the door slammed behind them. Sliding into the shotgun seat, she opened the kit and started on a very light amount of mascara. Eyeliner, she wasn’t even going to try.

“Pace yourself,” Betty warned as they started driving. “An unsteady hand is makeup’s greatest enemy.”

“I know how to put on cosmetics, Betty. I’m not an amateur.”

“Sorry, sorry, just trying to help.” They drove in silence for a few moments, Betty tapping her fingers along her steering wheel. “Do you think it’s about the Avengers?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it was, I can’t seem to go a day without them being brought up… So long as we’re talking about Avengers, has Bruce really not called you yet?”

“I think it might be that he’s just having a hard time breaking the habit of staying under the radar—”

“That’s a pretty weak excuse, B, and you know it.”

“It’s not important, Jane. I don’t need to spend all my time staring at a phone, waiting for him to restart my life. You didn’t do that, did you?”

“No, I chased after him, and didn’t stop until I got him back.”

“Yes, but there are consequences if I do any chasing. Namely my father and the United States military. I trust Bruce, Jane. I know what I want, and I’m willing to wait for it, but I’m not going to let it rule me.”

“Fair enough.” Jane ran a stick of lip balm over her mouth as they pulled into the train station. Betty put them in park in front of the platform, and passed over the printout of her ticket. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Good luck. Oh, and we’re doing that machete order marathon this weekend, you’re not getting out of it.”

“I still think you guys are being unfair on Episode One.”

“I think you have unfair prejudices towards the prequels.”

“We’llhave this conversation when I get back from DC, right now, I have a train to catch.”

“Good luck!” Betty said again as Jane opened her door and headed up to the train that was already pulling in to the station. She managed to find a seat and passed her ticket to the conductor, curling up as she stared out the window. Her head started bobbing a little, and her view went a little fuzzy at the edges, like an old time movie. To add to that, she could almost see another scene being laid over the landscapes she was passing by in real life.

The thing that was coming from her imagination… itcould only be Asgard, futuristic golden spires reaching up to a boundless, unfamiliar sky, decorated with Nordic knots and whorls, glossy tan stone archways and and bridges, and the sweet scents of unfamiliar flowers wafted through the breeze. She was standing in one of the archways that looked out at a large dirt yard, one filled with men in bronze armor and yellow cloaks, which made it that much easier to spot the blond hair and scarlet cape that belonged to Thor.

He was standing next to the dark haired woman from Puente Antiguo,Sif, if memory served her correctly, and a lanky man with light brown hair Jane didn’t recognize, but he had a friendly, easygoing kind of face that made her wonder why she definitely hadn’t seen him.

“ _How dare you!_ ” a shout rang out loudly from behind her, and the voice of the one who’d done it was unmistakable, even without the little shiver of fear down her spine. Loki stormed straight through her, moving in that terrifyingly fast, catlike way of his to grab the brunet man by the throat and bodyslam him to the ground. “You call yourself my _friend_?”

“My prince!” A second voice came from the hallway behind Jane, and this time, she turned to see its owner, a young woman with billowing waves of chestnut hair and wide blue eyes, racing towards the conflict with fear etched on every rounded feature of her face. “Please, I beg of you, do not do this—”

“The love I bear you, Sigyn, will not excuse this betrayal. From either of you.”

“Loki, let him up.” Thor reached forward, andLoki practically _hissed_ , slapping his brother’s hand away while still keeping a grip on the unnamed man’s throat.

“I can fight my own battles, Thor. And that is exactly what will be done. _Hólmganga_ , Theoric, for your insult to me and the honor of my future wife. _Now._ ” The woman, Sigyn, gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth in horror.

“No! No, please—”

“Rescind what you said, and I’ll withdraw the challenge,” Loki told her, and as he looked up, Jane was surprised by just how much he resembled a kicked puppy in that moment, despite the murderous position and things he was saying. “You know what I want, grant it me and I will grant you anything, anything…” If it were any other situation, those words might have actually seemed romantic, but here… it made Jane more than a little queasy.

“Sigyn….” Theoric croaked from the ground, reaching out a hand to her, and as she looked down, Loki’s eyes narrowed into the vindictive expression Jane knew very well.

“So be it.” He released his grip on Theoric, giving him a brutal kick to the ribs before grabbing a sword off one of the nearest soldiers. Sigyn tried to rush forward, but Sif caught her by the waist, holding her back.

“You know the laws, not even the All-Father can intervene once _hólmganga_ is invoked.”

As Theoric struggled to his feet, Sigyn turned her gaze to Loki. “If you do this, I shall despise you into eternity.”

“But no one will ever dare try to take you from me. Despising is its own passion, I would rather have that than nothing at all.”

Ugh, she wanted to get out of this bizarre dream sequence memory thing… She did _not_ want to know about Loki’s relationships problems. _Wake up, Jane, wake up, wake up, come on, get out of here…_ But relief didn’t come, and though she tried to turn and leave, there seemed to be some kind of invisible wall blocking her from going anywhere else.

Sigyn continued struggling against Sif’s grip on her, to the point where Thor had to catch her by the shoulders. “You cannot let him do this! Please! He’ll kill him!”

“You know my hands are tied.” Thor sounded…. tired in his response. Tired, and pained, and it made Jane question for a moment whether or not she _wanted_ to be in his life. Wasn’t it obvious to any of these people that what was happening wasn’t acceptable? Granted, she wasn’t fully aware of Asgardian culture, but if they were so advanced in technology, surely they had to have some kind of feminism, didn’t they? Sigyn’s pleading didn’t seem to make it seem so.

As the conversation had been happening, there was now a square space marked off in the yard, Loki and Theoric each in a corner, and each holding a sword. And it could not be denied that there was murder burning in Loki’s eyes, even more than there had been in Manhattan.

Thor swallowed, looking between the two of them. “You know the rules. Violation results in forfeiture.” Everyone seemed to be looking directly at Loki for that, and he responded with an eyeroll and glare as Thor spoke again. “Begin.”

At that moment, there was a jolt that snapped her head back against the train seat, which seemed to do the trick of breaking her out of the vision. And not a moment too soon, apparently, because the voice on the PA said they were in Union Station. Biting her lip, she grabbed her bag and got off the train, trying very hard not to think about what she’d just seen. She was about to try and hail a cab when a black Chevrolet Corvette Stingray pulled up right in front of her, and rolled down its window to reveal a head of sleek red locks.

“I was sent to pick up a tiny brainiac who likes making out with aliens, seen anyone like that?” Natasha Romanoff asked playfully.

“You are a wallet saver,” Jane laughed, opening the shotgun door and sliding into the car. “They really sent you to get me?”

“You’re important, apparently. Seatbelt, now.” There was barely time to comply before the red-haired Russian slammed her foot on the gas.

“What the hell! Do all of your people drive like this?” Jane shrieked, grabbing onto her armrest as they shot into Washington traffic.

“Just me,” Natasha said cheerfully, swerving in a hard left. “I like the rush.”

“I’m gonna kill you,” Jane mumbled from where her face had gotten pressed into the window.

“There’s a waitlist. Sorry.” They continued weaving through traffic at breakneck pace, with Jane hyperventilating all the way. “Did you see that news broadcast with Stark? I worked for him for a while, but now, he’s got me genuinely worried, giving terrorists his home address.”

“Uh-huh….” The only response Jane could make was the mumbled two syllables that didn’t require any real lip movement. God damn Natasha Romanoff’s driving. And she didn’t buy for a second that any concern the Russian assassin had for her playboy billionaire comrade was anything other than professional.

“I mean, Pepper lives there with him, and whatever else might be true, he loves that woman like crazy. He couldn’t possibly be so stupid as to put her in danger like that.”

Jane managed to peel herself from the window and took a few deep breaths before speaking normally. “I don’t know, I haven’t heard from him since he gave me that big check at the terrace, then went off into the sunset with Bruce like they were Thelma and Louise or something.”

“Don’t even joke about that, Foster, Banner’s way out of Stark’s league.” Using the brief lull in the conversation, Jane switched out of the loafers into the heels, just as they pulled into the driveway of an underground parking lot, the road in front of them sloping down at an angle just short of terrifying. “So, once I park, you’re going to go in through the elevator, Agent 13 will be meeting you in the atrium to escort you up to Director Fury’s office.”

“Agent 13, got it. Anything else I should know?”

“Yeah. Don’t sass the council. Fury’s already in hot water for doing exactly that.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No, I’m not, Foster. These people are not ones you want to mess with.” Romanoff pulled into a parking space directly next to a silver elevator emblazoned with the SHIELD logo. “Good luck.”

“I’m beginning to wonder how much I need it.”

“ _Udachi_.” Jane wished she knew Russian, just so she could be reassured that whatever Romanoff had said was not as scary as it had sounded, but she got out of the car and into the elevator, pressing the ‘A’ button. That had to be Atrium, she really hoped it wasn’t something else, there were way more buttons than she’d ever seen in an elevator. She watched the lights blink upwards until the doors dinged open.

All glass and sunlight. It _was_ the atrium, thank God, and a strawberry blonde woman in a slick grey pinstriped pantsuit strode up to her, holding a tablet and a lanyard, the latter of which she extended to Jane. “Dr. Foster, welcome. I’m Agent 13, here’s your visitor’s badge.”

“Oh… hi… I wasn’t expecting things to go _this_ quickly.” Jane took the badge and looped it around her neck as Agent 13 took out a silver cylinder that looked way too much like a different shady government organization’s tool of deception.

“I believe in efficiency. Please look at me and hold still so I can get your retinal scan.”

“Do I have to?”

“I can’t let you go any further until I can confirm you’re you, and not under any kind of paranormal influence. It’ll only take a minute, and I promise, it is not going to erase your memory or put you under mind control, or anything else.”

"Well, when you put it that way…” Jane stood still for the SHIELD agent to scan her eyes. It didn't feel that different from an optometrist appointment, but there was still that niggling feeling at the back of her head. The device beeped and spoke in the same voice that had called her that morning.

_Identity confirmed. Foster, Jane Isabel._ “Right, we’re good to go,” Agent 13 announced. “Follow me.”

Their heels clicked on the sleek marble floors as they walked down the hall to another silver elevator. “You guys have a lot of these, don’t you? Where are the stairs? What happens if there’s a fire?”

“Didn’t you work with SHIELD for a year? You know how it works here.”

“I’ve never been in the DC base, I was out in New Mexico. Different setup.”

“Mmm, fair enough.” They filed into the elevator, and Jane took the chance to watch the Washington skyline. 

“It’s really pretty… I’ve never seen it like this before.”

“It never really changes… but yeah, it does look nice when the light hits it right,” Agent 13 agreed. Jane bounced a little on her toes, impatiently watching the flashing lights as they went further and further up.

“I feel like I know your name.”

“Doubtful, it’s classified.”

“But you look like someone, I’ve seen their photo, I swear…” As Jane tried to work out where she knew this woman from, the elevator stopped, its doors opening on a spacious office that looked over the Potomac. Next to the slick black desk were two figures, one she immediately recognized as Nick Fury, and the other a complete stranger.

“Dr. Foster’s here, Director, Councilman,” Agent 13 announced, and the stranger looked up, giving a grandfatherly, yet oddly charming smile as he walked over and took Jane’s hand.

“Thank you, Agent. And may I say, Dr. Foster, you are a vision. Thor has excellent taste, beauty to match the brains.”

“I can assure you, sir, the brains are my stronger point,” Jane said, looking over at Fury in confusion.

“Dr. Jane Foster, meet Alexander Pierce, government liaison to SHIELD and member of the World Security Council.”

“Um, nice to meet you, Mr. Pierce, may I please have my hand back now?” Jane asked nervously, making Pierce laugh in a way that gave him even more crinkles around his eyes.

“Excellent, excellent taste. I think we’re ready to go.” The windows shimmered and darkened as five green hologram pillars activated, displaying a woman, an Indian man, a man who looked like he was probably Chinese, though Jane couldn’t be certain, and two old white guys. It was like being back in front of the board of directors, asking for a grant.

“Am I allowed to ask why I’m here?”

“You are the closest thing we have to an expert when it comes to Asgardians, Miss Foster,” one of the white guys said, and Jane automatically glared at him.

“ _Doctor_ ,” she corrected. “And I sincerely hope that you are not construing my personal relationship with Thor as expertise when it comes to Asgard. Both Dr. Erik Selvig and my mother, Dr. Elise Nelson, are more qualified than I am.”

“Dr. Selvig has asked to be left alone while he is on leave, due to the ordeal he’s been through,” the woman explained in a grandmotherly tone, “and Dr. Nelson does not have the first-hand experience that you do.”

Well, it was nice that Erik was being given time to recover. “What is it about the Asgardians you want to know?”

“What, exactly is their position regarding Earth? This is the second time our planet been turned into the battlefield for their soap operas,” the other white guy, the one with the very round head, said disdainfully, and Jane forced herself not to stick out her tongue like a child.

“As I understand it, Asgard thinks of Earth as its protectorate, but they’re usually pretty hands off. The two incidents that have ended in violence were both instigated by Loki, and since I’m pretty sure he’s going to be incarcerated for eternity, there’s not really going to be an issue anymore regarding that.”

“You have no way of guaranteeing that, though, do you, Doctor?” the Indian man asked, leaning forward a little. “We need certainty.”

“I can try to get in contact with him, but Thor is a prince, he has responsibilities outside of here.”

“Then are we just expected to clean up his messes?”

“We are just as much at fault for experimenting with the Tesseract!” Jane said indignantly. “And as I understand it, _you_ were the ones who sent a nuclear missile into Manhattan, and yet no one’s wagging fingers at you for it, because the Avengers were there to save your collective asses!”

“Well, I can see why _you_ like her, Fury,” the Asian man remarked, becoming yet another disapproving frown as Fury shrugged passively and Jane fumed inwardly at her lapse in protocol.She was probably dead now, super, super dead. “Dr. Foster, these other responsibilities do not negate the fact that Asgard had a hand in the damages—”

“Loki, _Loki_ had a hand in the damages, Thor showed up to stop it!”

“And you are certain you can be objective about this, given—”

“I’m done. If you need me, you clearly know how to find me, but I’m not going to stand here andlisten to this, so I’m going to go now, good day.”

“Dr. Foster—”

“I said good day, Councilman!” Jane sidestepped around Pierce and Fury and yanked the door open, storming down the hallway and back to the elevator. She barely made it two floors down before the doors stopped and opened to reveal two familiar faces. “Oh! Steve… Na— I mean, Agent Romanoff.”

“Hey, Foster.” Romanoff grinned wickedly, smacking her on the shoulder. “Long time no see.”

“How are you, Jane?” Steve asked, his tone significantly warmer, or at least, more polite. “Bruises healing alright?”

“Yeah… yeah, I just walked out on the people who tried to bomb New York, so I may disappear next month.”

“Not if we make you disappear first. How would you feel about a week or two in Chechnya? Just until they calm down.”

“Ugh, _no_!”

“Joking, Foster.” Jane fought down the urge to call the Russian woman psychotic. Instinct told her that would be tantamount to suicide. “So, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?”

“I was planning on going home, my team and I were supposed to have the day off to do a _Star Wars_ movie marathon.”

“All the movies? Wow, that’s ambitious,” Natasha observed. “Hey, Rogers, maybe you should tag along, _Star Wars_ is quintessential American culture now, if you want to keep the outfit, you should be keeping up with the times.”

“I don’t know if I could impose on Jane and her team—”

“Oh, it wouldn’t be an imposition! I’d just have to check and make sure with Betty—”

“Betty _Ross_ , Betty?” Natasha raised an eyebrow. “Good choice, Foster, she’s pretty cool. ”

“Steve, you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Jane said gently, looking at the former forties man. “But they are really fun movies, that actually take a lot of influence from older movies… probably not to the level that you’d recognize anything, but there _is_ some iconography and terminology that derives from World War Two—”

“It sounds interesting enough, I’d love to take a look,” Steve kindly interrupted her rambling, and Jane blushed in gratitude as she pulled out her phone to text Betty and Darcy.

“I can drive you two back to the station and bankroll a ticket for you, Rogers. You’d probably have a heart attack at what a train ticket costs now.”

“I know what inflation is, Romanoff.” Steve rolled his eyes before turning his focus back to Jane. “If your friends are okay with it, I’d love to take a look.”

“Well, I just have to—” The phone in her hand started violently blaring _It’s Raining Men_. Darcy. Steve tried to hold in a little chuckle as Jane lifted the phone to her ear and answered. “Hello?”

“ _ARE YOU KIDDING ME, OF COURSE CAPTAIN AMERICA CAN COME, THIS IS SO COOL, OH MY GOD!_ ” Jane winced, moving the phone away to accommodate Darcy’s shrieking.

“She sounds…. enthusiastic.”

“She is. Darcy… Darcy, I want you to breathe and lower your volume.”

“Captain America, Jane. Captain freaking America.”

“Uh.. yeah. Captain Freaking America. So, is Betty okay with it?”

“Um, hell yes. Who says no to a movie night with _the_ Captain America?”

“You could tell her she can just call me Steve….”

“I don’t think we’re gonna make any progress with her at this point,” Jane mumbled, covering the phone as she looked at him apologetically. “I’ll uh…”

“I’ve gotten used to it, don’t worry.”

“And your tickets are booked,” Romanoff interrupted. “I’ll pick them up when we get down to the garage, then get you two on your way.”

“Ever driven with her?” Jane whispered as the elevator stopped.

“No, but I’ve flown.”

“Wear your seatbelt then?”

“For the most part. Why?”

“You’ll see.”


	6. Rationalizations and Ruminations

“Again.”

“You’ll overtire yourself,” Fandral warned.

“I don’t care,” Thor muttered, re-wrapping his hands. “I need the distraction.” His unexpected dream of the _hólmganga_ had put him on edge, and weeks of it plaguing his mind without contact from Jane and stuck on the backwater that was Ria had not helped matters. “Again.”

“Spar with Volstagg, I am am too tired to continue tonight.”

“And the Prince should not continue tonight either,” Volstagg corrected. “Enough, Thor. You do no one any good in this state. Rest.”

“I can rest when—”

“You can rest _now._ ” The Warriors Three formed something of a barrier around him, arms folded as Hogun spoke. “Please, my friend.”

“Were I the petty kind, I would call you traitors,” Thor muttered, unable to properly growl at them, or hate them. They meant well, of course they did, but that didn’t do anything to ease his mind. “As it stands, I will be going in search of drink. Much of it.” He didn’t bother to invite them along, or even make an apology, choosing instead to leave the training field without even bothering to go clean himself off or change clothes.

Ria had very little to offer in the ways of entertainment, especially given its current state. Most inns were flooded with refugees who had either lost their homes or were fleeing the conflict of other realms, and none of them were in the mood for merriment. Those few places that could find means of joviality were usually the most repulsive ones, full of every kind of lowlife imaginable. The kind of places that he and Loki had snuck into when they were young and stupid, but knew better than to frequent now. So instead, he just kept wandering the streets, vaguely aware of the fact that people were giving him something of a wide berth as they recognized him.

“Well, well, wellllll.” a slurred female voice came from behind him. “Haven’t seen you in a long time.” As he turned to see her, the voice’s owner slung one of her very muscular arms around his shoulders, and she laid a very sloppy kiss on his cheek. Of course.

“Hello, Brynn.”

“Oh, well, that’s a cold welcome,” she pouted. “Don’t I at least get a hug? Not that I really need one badly, you reek like the back side of a bilgesnipe.”

“You’re the one who initiated contact, my dear Valkyrie,” he retorted, hugging her anyway. She’d gotten rid of any trace of softness in her body, so that everything was lean, solid muscle, and it actually almost hurt when she squeezed him back tightly. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for my next battle,” she retorted, as if it should have been obvious. As they neared one of the elevated braziers, he could get a better look at her, enough to see that she’d chosen to start wearing her explosion of black hair in a thousand tightly woven tiny braids down her back, most twisted into one larger plait, but with a few strands escaping. Her silver armor had seen far better days, the breastplate covered in scratches and dents, and beneath it, she was dressed almost entirely in dark, well worn leathers. her blade bouncing at her hip. “It’s been difficult to get around lately, but I’ve managed well enough. Gotten some decent bounties. Had a few attractive conquests, though no one half as pretty as you.” Her tongue ran over her teeth for a moment as her nearly black eyes overlooked him appraisingly.

“We will not be reinvigorating that part of our friendship, Brynn,” he warned, only half playful in saying it.

“Just one meaningless tumble after we both get sodding drunk? For old times’ sake?” she pouted. “How can you call yourself my friend if that’s the case?”

“You’ve always been clever, I think you know the answer.”

For a moment, her entire face puckered in thought, then her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she let out a delighted snort and moved her arm to link with his elbow with such gusto that Thor almost lost his balance. “Oh, you dewy-eyed mooncalf! Really? Well, _skál_ to that, we’re getting a full round at the best tavern here!”

“You’re… taking this better than I expected,” he confessed, letting her drag him along the street.

“Am I disappointed that I don’t get one more turn with you? Of course I am, but if you’ve found the woman you’re planning to marry and love for the rest of your days, how can I possibly be anything other than happy for you? Who is she, do I know her?”

“No….”

“Ah. Not Sif, then. Good, I’ve kept my distance because I thought you and she might—”

“You were not the only one. But no, not Sif.”

“You would not mind then, if I were to fall in with your merry little band in hopes of soliciting at least an evening with her?”

Now it was Thor’s turn to be surprised. “ _Sif_?”

“She’s very beautiful, and I admire her spirit greatly,” Brynn said matter of factly. “And if you two aren’t betrothed, best I try pressing a suit now before Fandral ruins my chance and everyone else’s.”

“I wish you all the fortune in the world in that suit, the two of you would surely give the bards of the realms many a new tale to sing of.”

“You’ll hear only those songs at your wedding feast, then,” she promised as they sat down at the table outside one of the less decrepit looking establishments. “Huh. Well, if this is the best… Tell me about this future Queen of Asgard while I’m getting the coin for our drinks. And _please_ tell me it’s not one of those awful sisters.”

“Lorelei is still in the dungeons, and no one’s seen Amora in nearly two years.”

“Thank the Norns for that! I still owe her a good thrashing, and I can’t do that if she’s going to be All-Mother. But enough stalling, all you’ve told me is who she isn’t!”

“Give me a chance to tell you and I will!” For extra emphasis, Thor gently placed his hand over her mouth. “Her name is Jane Foster, of Midgard. No, let me finish—” He added a little more pressure to muffle the surprised yelp beneath his palm. “She is a scholar, one of the cleverest in the realm. I met her when my father banished me to Midgard, and she… changed me, Brynn. I would not be who I am now, were it not for her.” Waiting a few moments for her to finish hyperventilating and gawking at him, Thor slowly pulled his hand away.

“She’s… mortal.”

“Yes.”

“And… that doesn’t concern you at all? What it would be like to watch her grow old and die over a handful of decades without you? And your father… he approves of this?” Brynn flagged down one of the barmaids, passing over a handful of coins. “Keep them coming, we may be here a while.”

“My father and I have not… explicitly discussed it. The campaigns to re-unify the realms and restore the peace have taken up most of my time.”

“Or he’s sending you everywhere he can in the hopes that you’ll find someone else he thinks more suitable. Isn't that how this sort of thing goes?” Brynn snagged her keg of ale before the attending woman could hand it over. Thor mouthed an apology to the poor woman, passing her an extra coin as compensation.

“It’s not like… we haven’t really… my mother approves.”

“Your mother spoils you, and given she married your father, I don’t know how much I trust her judgment.”

“Are you insulting my mother?”

“I would never dream of it. Your mother’s delightful when she doesn’t have the rest of you nearby. That’s the real reason I never stayed for too long. I didn’t want you getting attached, and then having to be the one who broke your heart. And that’s what worries me now, Thor.” Brynn set down her tankard and took his hand. “You love so much, so completely… I cannot help but wonder, if you pin all that love on this mortal woman, what will happen when you inevitably lose her?”

“Brynn—”

“You can’t ignore this, Thor!”

“I am not ignoring it,” he insisted quietly. “I know I’ll have to face these problems at some point, but right now, I am just trying to see the end of all these conflicts so that I can concentrate on returning home. And to her. ”

“Well, then…” Slowly, Brynn raised her glass once again. “Here’s to your Jane Foster. May you be reunited quickly, and for as long as possible.”

“ _Skál_ ,” he agreed, knocking his tankard against hers and then draining it in one gulp.

“Another!” they said in unison, giving way to some genuine laughter— Norns, but it felt good to laugh.

* * *

“Jane, come on, just admit it already.”

“Not a chance.”

“Seriously?”

“I standby my opinion, the movie was better than the book!”

“That is nerd sacrilege of the highest level, and you know it!”

“You two have been going at this for an hour, you know that?” Darcy interrupted. “Just give it up already, you’re not going to change Jane’s mind about _Jurassic Park_ , Betty.”

“The sequels negate any value the movie might have had in spite of its flaws of adaptation!”

“The _Jurassic Park_ sequels are about as canon as _Ghostbusters II_ is!”

“ _Ghostbusters II_ ** _is_ ** canon, Jane!”

“Yeah, sure. The way the New Testament is canon to Jewish people.”

“I said give it up! This was so not what I imagined our days off being like.” Darcy tapped her fingers against her computer, staring at the Domino’s tracker with a hiss. “Ugh, they are so late, I almost don’t want to tip.”

“Tipping is important, Darcy.”

“Only because the food service industry is ridiculously corrupt and flawed. Have you never had to wait tables, Jane? It sucks. We should be able to just pay for our food without having to feel guilty about whether or not our server gets to eat too.”

“We should get back to picking out a movie,” Betty suggested, “seeing as this conversation is clearly derailing into argument territory.”

“Is there _anything_ we can watch without the two of you bickering? What about _Forrest Gump_?”

“Actually, I think we should save that one to show Steve next time he’s available. It’d be a good way to catch him up on more history— Oh, and we should get him to listen to ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire.’”

“I don’t think there’s really enough context in ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ to properly get him up to speed, even if it is a great song.” Betty picked out an old DVD case and blew the dust off it. “How about _The Princess Bride?_ We can all watch this one without complaint, right?”

“ _YES,_ ” Jane and Darcy blurted their response in unison so quickly, that it sent all three of them into giggles.

“Okay, then we’re doing this.” With the debate settled, Jane burrowed deeply into one of Betty’s multicolored wool blankets, watching the opening credits slowly play. They were barely into the scenes with the boy and the grandfather when her eyelids started to drop and her head lolled to the side. There was something about Peter Falk’s voice that just felt comforting and soothing.

As she slipped further into sleep, the scenery of a dream began to seep into her vision, and for a moment, it almost looked like the movie was playing in her mind, a richly green hillside surrounded with lush trees and mountains. Then she saw the glittering gold structures in the distance, including some that looked like they were floating. But that would mean that she was dreaming of Asgard, which would mean— “Thor?” she called hesitantly.

“Jane!” She turned to the sound of his voice, finding him down at the bottom of the hill, dressed in a brown leather tunic that showed off his arms in a way that was almost indecent. And if that weren’t enough to fluster her, he was giving her that enormous dopey grin that made his eyes sparkle and her heart do a backflip.

“Hang on, I’m coming down to you,” she shouted, realizing for the first time that she was in a dress, a deep red one, with multiple layers to the skirt, and threaded with shimmering threads of gold. “This, um… might take a while.”

Thor laughed, easily making his way up to her with fewer than ten long strides. “Better?” he asked sweetly, bending down to take her in his arms.

“Much.” Jane gave him a quick kiss before ducking away and letting herself fall backwards onto the hillside. “Come sit with me, I… I have some questions I need to ask. Starting with what happened to Theoric and Sigyn.”

The names made him stop short, his brow furrowing. “How do you know about Theoric and Sigyn?”

“It…. I had a dream… vision… thing… I don’t know. But I want answers about it. What happened to them? How could you have just stood by?”

“Jane, it’s far more complicated than you think—”

“So explain it to me! I’ve got three degrees, I’m not stupid, Thor.”

Taking a long sigh, Thor sat down next to her, rubbing at his forehead. “I never said you were, but that… I think you saw a dream I had of that day…”

“So what happened?” she insisted again, trying not to lose her patience.

“Sigyn came to Asgard to marry Loki as part of a treaty between Asgard and Vanaheim, a granddaughter of their king Njörd to marry the second son of Odin. Loki fell in love with her the moment he saw her, but she…”

“Didn’t?” Jane offered. “Because Loki is—”

“He wasn’t the way he is now, Jane,” Thor interrupted, more harshly than Jane had expected, and his voice actually cracked on her name. “But you are somewhat right, even then, Loki cut a rather intimidating figure, and she was overwhelmed by everything… In hindsight, it’s not entirely surprising that she sought comfort from Theoric. He was a good man, if a touch unassuming.”

“ _Was_ ,” repeated Jane, “so Loki murdered him. In that holm… home gang…”

“Well… yes, Theoric did die that day. But _hólmganga_ is legal. Any deaths that happen during one are not considered murders.”

“And you don’t see anything wrong with that?”

“Jane, I know it seems simple to you, but these kinds of things are just part of Asgard, part of the life I have always known. There was nothing I could have done.”

Even though all of this had probably happened at least a hundred years ago, Jane felt… sticky. Unclean. And completely out of her league. “How do I get out of here?”

“Jane—”

“No.” She caught his hand before he could put it on her shoulder. “I need to think about some stuff on my own, this is… a lot of new information.”

“Jane, please, we haven’t seen each other in so long, stay a little while longer,” he begged her softly.

“I’m sorry, I just… I can’t.” As she stood up, her foot caught on the skirt, sending her rolling downwards and— _thud!_

“Jane, oh my God!” Her head snapped up to see Darcy and Betty standing over her in alarm. “Are you okay?” Betty asked, helping her back up onto the couch while Darcy hurried into the kitchen.

“Yeah, I just… I don’t know what came over me, I’m sorry…”

“Aw, sweetie, it’s okay. Let’s just make sure that knock to your head doesn’t leave a bump.” Darcy returned, pressing a towel-wrapped ice pack onto Jane’s head. “You got pretty twitchy, what was happening in dreamland?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Jane muttered, tugging at her necklace and chewing her lip. “You guys keep watching the movie, I’m gonna ice my head and get some proper sleep. Darce, can you… can you make a note for me to call my mum tomorrow?”

“Uh… yeah. Yeah, sure.”

“Thanks… Thanks.” Jane carefully stood, holding onto the ice pack and headed for the guest room, flopping straight onto the bed without even bothering to change into her pajamas. She didn’t really want to sleep again, not if it meant seeing Thor again after that blow up she’d had.

Had she been out of line? Just refusing to accept a different culture because it wasn’t what she’d been raised to believe in? Certainly, there were parts of the Torah she didn’t exactly agree with, laws in America that made her feel a little queasy… but what Thor had been talking about was basically _medieval_ , and from what he’d told her in Puente Antiguo, Asgardians were supposed to be so much more advanced. Somehow, when she’d pictured that, she hadn’t thought of duels to the death over arranged marriages.

Had Sigyn still been required to marry Loki after he killed Theoric? Probably, but what had happened after that? Did Asgard have divorce, or was that not an option because of whatever treaty thing Thor had been talking about?

At this moment, it was so tempting to just… back out. What were the chances she could actually handle dating the future king of an ancient alien civilization, when she was actually introduced to that environment? Why set herself up for what was probably going to be a spectacular failure?

_Because you’re Jane Foster, Ph. D. Because you’ve made it into astrophysics despite nearly every card in the deck being stacked against you. Because you’re pretty sure you’re in love with this guy, and no one is going to stop you from doing and getting exactly what you want._

_Pretty sure_ wasn’t exactly solid. She would never apply for a grant with _pretty sure_. No sane academic would. But then again, her love life wasn’t the same as applying for a grant. Thor was taking risks of his own in being with her… and that just led her back into the ugly circle that came from a human and a god in a relationship. Joy.

It took her about fifteen minutes before she caved and took half a dose of Betty’s generic PM ibuprofen. When sleep hit her, it was, thankfully, dreamless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed to get out some steam after the revelation that Jane is not returning to Thor 3.... curse you, Marvel ~~and go to hell, Kevin Feige~~. So, the inclusion of Brynn/Valkyrie is a little bit bitter, but obviously she can't be Thor's love interest in a fic that's Fosterson. Which means I have to **gasp** think up a personality for her other than being a love interest. The devil you say!


	7. Explanations and Expectations

Thor stared at the ring. Again. It had been weeks for him, he didn’t know how long it had been for Jane, time moved differently in Midgard than it did for him, traveling between realms.

He missed her. Desperately. He wanted to speak to her, to understand what had upset her so much about Sigyn and Loki. He didn’t want to _lose_ her. Not having Jane in his life was no longer something he wanted to even think about considering, but if that was the choice she wanted to make…

Then he would not object. It would torment him, knowing that he’d never see her smile again, nor hear the elevation of her voice as she grew more and more excited about her work, but he would not have her if she did not want him.

But such thoughts triggered an anger in his stomach that he could not quite quell. Weren’t they more important than whatever was bothering her? Wasn’t what they had worth fighting for, past whatever it was that had led her to ignore him all this time?

Spinning the band on his finger, he settled backward on his bed, silently hoping against hope that this would be the night he got to see her again. As he tried to fall asleep, his mind stayed focused on Jane, trying to immortalize her in memory because there was more than a chance that their farewell in New York was to be the last time they occupied the same space, the last time he got to touch her and breathe in her warm, clean scent…

Sleep claimed him and brought him somewhere he’d never seen before. It was a small room by Asgardian standards, but it looked something like Jane’s little house on wheels, with its cabinets and wash basin, along with a curious white panel, a table, and several chairs. Sitting in one of those chairs, mimicking the same gestures Thor himself had been doing, was Jane.

She looked more like she had when they first met, in a patterned shirt, shabby blue trousers, and her hair loose around her face. For a minute, he wished they could still be that young and unencumbered again.

Quietly, Thor cleared his throat and she looked up at him, brown eyes widening in genuine surprise. “Thor.”

“You didn’t expect to see me.”

“It’s been _months_ since we last spoke. Almost a year since Manhattan. I’m not even on the same continent now, I’m house sitting for my mother in London while she’s in Sweden. Erik said he was working on something important, but he’s dropped off the grid—”

“Jane, _hjarta_ , you’re rambling,” he interrupted as kindly as he could. “And I believe we need to talk.”

“Right. You’re right.” She lowered her hands, gesturing to one of the chairs. “Sit down, this could take a while.” Thor nodded, mutely obeying her. “Look, what happened last time—”

“You were caught off guard, I understand.”

“Thor, just let me talk,” she cut him off, sounding more tired than upset. And as Thor looked at her, he could see there was a paleness in her cheeks and dark shadows under her eyes.

“Have you been sleeping?” he asked, unable to silence his concern.

“You sound like Darcy. Or my mum.”

“Jane.”

“Okay, fine, I’ve been sleeping as little as possible. Few hours at night, cat naps in between. I’ve got a lot of work to do! And you’re changing the subject before I can even start talking about it!”

“Forgive me,” he requested earnestly, reaching out to take her hand, silently praying that she would not pull it away. She answered his wish by sighing and rubbing her thumb over his fingers.

“Maybe. You gonna let me talk now?”

“You have my word.”

“Good.” Jane rubbed at her temples with her free hand. “Okay, so, the stuff that upset me?I, like, I _get_ that this is just how things are for your world, you’ve been doing it for centuries and whatever, but for the last few centuries, the world I’ve known has been moving away from that. A lot. My parents would never have dreamed of making me marry someone I didn’t love, and I guess a part of me panicked and started picturing that as a future for our, um, hypothetical future kids. I don’t want to see that, Thor, I don’t want to see our daughters be forced into a partnership they don't want for the sake of political gain, I don’t want our sons to commit some kind of legal murder in order to keep their fiancées, fiancées that might not even _want_ them. I don’t want any of our children feeling like property or pawns, and everything you described… that’s what’s been on my mind since we last spoke.”

Thor chose to take the fact that she still envisioned them having children as a good sign, considering that he hadn’t even officially asked for her hand at this point. And the way she was talking, almost entirely in hypotheticals and speculation as if they were real was a very _Jane_ thing to do. He almost wanted to laugh, but he knew that would _not_ be conducive to reconciling with her.

“Anything else?”

“If this is going to work, I need to know that we’re on even ground. That you’re going to treat me as an equal.”

“Jane, since I realized I love you, I have seen you as my equal. And as my superior, in many ways.”

She gave a little _heh_ kind of a laugh and smiled slightly. “You certainly know how to appeal to a girl’s ego, Thor Odinson, but don’t think that means I’m about to let you off easy. And _don’t_ make some stupid joke about the times I ran over you.”

“As you wish,” he conceded, and Jane let out a little squeak, covering her mouth with her hands. “What?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said, clearly trying to hide. He caught a muffled ‘ _farm boy_ ,’ even so. He decided this was not the time to ask about it.

“Jane, if it will put your mind at ease, then I will gladly swear any oath you wish that I will do everything in my power to assure that any children we might have will never be forced to partner with anyone who is not someone they chose. Deal?”

“Deal,” she conceded, even as her face wrinkled in that way he knew meant she had more to say on the matter. “For now.”

“Very well. Anything else, then?”

“What _does_ a future with you, um,” She waved her hands vaguely between the two of them. “Entail? Maybe it’s the scientist in me, but I’m feeling the need to collect data.”

Thor smiled at how easily she reverted to her own nature. “What it entails, at least when I picture it, is the two of us as partners. In that regard, the mind of a scholar is very different from the mind of a warrior. My hope is that we would be able to balance each other.”

“You’re very deliberately ignoring the whole ‘ruling a realm’ aspect of it,” she observed, going back to sipping her coffee.

“What do you want me to tell you, Jane? That it’s like having more than a thousand iterations of Darcy, day in and day out?”

“I don’t like what you’re insinuating, Darcy’s become increasingly helpful since New Mexico,” she said defensively. 

“I will apologize wholeheartedly to her when next we meet,” Thor promised, taking Jane’s hand and kissing it softly. “Jane, please, answer me honestly, do you want to be with me knowing that it may one day mean you could be a queen?”

“I honestly don’t know, Thor. Everything I know about royalty comes from very fictional movies where it’s about pouring tea and walking with books on your head for proper posture. But I’m guessing that’s not what you’re talking about.”

"Not in the least, _hjarta,_ " he confirmed. “My mother wields considerable power and influence within Asgard, and my father relies on her counsel in nearly every matter.”

“I need to go back to college,” Jane moaned, slamming her head on the table. “Or have Darcy tutor me, I need to get a degree in politics.”

“Jane, please, don’t hurt yourself,” Thor scolded gently as he lifted her head. “It is going to be alright, I give you my word.”

“Easy for you to say, you’re the optimistic one.”

“I have something worth looking forward to and believing in,” he replied with a smile. “How could I not be optimistic as long as my future has you?”

“Oh my _God_ , you sap.” She was groaning, but there was a fond smile as she looked at him. “Why do you have to make it so hard for me to stay mad at you?”

“Because I love you,” he answered simply. Jane rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a huff, and it made her look so adorably frustrated that he felt the need to lean in to kiss her softly. Unfortunately, the sweet sensation of his mouth on hers only lasted a moment before she pulled away, her hair forming a curtain over her face. “What is it?” he asked worriedly.

“What happened?”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“What happened to Sigyn, Thor? I need to know.”

“It would be easier if I showed you,” he said, offering her his hand. “But you’d need to let me assume control of the dream, can you do that?” Jane’s entire face concentrated inwards as if it was all being sucked directly to her nose, while she deliberated. Thor could practically hear her brain whirring and humming, and the thought of it made him smile.

“Okay,” she said finally, placing her hand in his. “Okay, show me.”

* * *

 

Jane hadn’t been certain what it would look like when she gave over control, or even how it worked. As it turned out, it was like being inside a snow globe, the entire world getting shaken up and turned pure white before it settled back into the scenery, only the scenery had changed.

It was Asgard again, obviously, but a different setting than either of her last two dream visits. It was a dining hall straight out of a Renaissance Faire but lit by torches, coated in a layer of gold, and decorated in the same kind of swirling patterns she’d seen on Thor’s armor. And she could smell a very savory roasted meat of some kind that was making her mouth water. She didn’t think she had gone to bed hungry, but apparently, dream food was that tempting.

Then she realized that she was actually standing between two Thors, _her_ Thor, the one holding her hand, and one who had what could only be considered a baby face. His beard had barely grown in, his hair was much shorter and he didn’t fill out his clothes quite as nicely as he did when they’d met. Not that that seemed to be an issue for Sif, as the annoyingly gorgeous raven-haired warrior woman was laughing and smiling with him easily. It was stupid to be jealous, especially of something that had been centuries ago, but Jane couldn’t help the little angry wriggle in her stomach.

“Jane, you may want to practice hiding what you’re thinking,” Thor remarked, breaking her concentration. “And look there. At the doors of the hall.”

“Sorry,” she mumbled, following his finger as he pointed.

“Don’t be sorry, it’s actually rather adorable,” he chuckled, but as the doors opened, any humor on his face replaced by solemnity, and with good reason. Loki had arrived.

He looked infinitely older than he had in the dream she’d had during the train ride. Or maybe not older, but a lot more serious and unhappy, a lot closer to the megalomaniac she’d met, but without the malicious glee. Rather than taking one of the seats at the high table where Thor sat, he instead approached one of the longer ones where a figure in a long, dark blue dress and heavy black shawl stood, her back turned as she talked with an older woman. The woman noticed Loki’s presence and stopped talking, causing the mystery woman to turn. Jane saw then that it was Sigyn.

She looked awful, with pale, hollow cheeks, and her soft brown hair apparently chopped short beneath the veil Jane had mistaken for a shawl. “ _Whatever you would say,_ ** _my lord,_** _say it quickly then leave me to my grief._ ”

Loki dropped to his knees, and the entire hall fell silent. “ _I have wronged you deeply, Lady Sigyn, and I bend the knee to await your justice upon me_.” Everyone was watching as Loki produced a knife, offering the handle towards Sigyn. _“My very life is at your disposal, should you choose._ ”

Jane’s entire stomach did a two-thousand-five-hundred-twenty-degree spin. Of all the things she’d expected, this was not it. Loki kneeling to someone else was weird enough, but the way he was talking just did not fit with the impression she had of him. What brought her out from her confusion was the sound of the blade slicing through something. Sigyn had taken the dagger and cut Loki’s jet black hair to a unflatteringly short length before she started speaking in a language that sounded like a cross between Tolkien Elvish and the ancient Atlantean that had been made for the Disney _Atlantis_ movie. “What’s she saying?” Jane whispered to Thor. “What is that?”

“She’s speaking in the language of Niðavellir. ' _I am your bride for that our realms require it. Only the Norns know when I will forgive you,'_ " Thor translated as Sigyn bent down and whispered something in Loki's ear.

"And what's she saying now?"

Thor sighed heavily and the scene faded away, returning them to her mother's kitchen. "She told him that he would have her love only when he held a son she had borne him in his arms."

"Oh. Um." Jane chewed on her lip. "Was that, like, her way of saying she was never going to sleep with him?"

" _Never_ is not a word used lightly when one lives five thousand years, Jane," Thor informed her, as seriously as a doctor might have told someone they had cancer. "They had to consummate their marriage for the treaty to hold, but after that night, Sigyn went back to living in the healing halls where she had been training. It took so many decades before she would allow him to be alone with her in the same room. And another century before she gave birth to the twins.”

A century. It was always so weird for Jane to be reminded how much longer Thor had lived than her. How did she not seem like a baby to him? “Twins,” she repeated.

“My nephews, Váli and Narvi.”

“So Sigyn loves him now. After everything that he did to her.”

“Many people still share your skepticism, they have always been very private about their marriage. But if I know one thing for absolute certainty about Loki, it is that he loves Sigyn, and their children.”

“But do you understand why I have a problem with this information?”

“I do. But it is a part of my home and my culture, and it would be a part of your life if we were to continue our relationship to such a point. Is that a deal breaker?”

“Can you give me more time to think about it? Now that I have more information?”

“And until then?”

“There might be a lot about you and your world that frustrates me, Thor Odinson, but you’re still my boyfriend,” she said. “And we are definitely _not_ on a break right now. Is that clear?”

“Perfectly.” He smiled at her just a little and she melted inside. “I miss you, Jane.”

“I miss you too. Any chance you’re going to be back on Earth soon?”

“I can’t say, there are too many conflicts that need Asgard’s attention. And my father has been in something of a mood lately.”

“A bad mood?”

“Extremely.”

“You’re not giving him trouble, are you?”

Thor looked down at the floor as if being asked if his baseball had broken a vase, the slightest hint of a smile tugging on his lips. “It would be more accurate to say that _we_ are giving him trouble.”

“Oh, my God.” Well, now that she was thinking about it, there was a troubling amount of sense to be made of an old man who’d had millennia to build up the idea that his people—species— _whatever_ were the most powerful in the universe. “He hasn’t even _met_ me yet, and already I’m not good enough for you? It’s supposed to be the mom who’s hard to charm, not the dad!”

“On the contrary, my mother’s quite eagerly awaiting your first meeting.”

“Can you convince her to warm your dad up to the idea of me?”

“As you wish.” Yet again, Jane snorted and now Thor was frowning openly. “What is it exactly that you find so amusing about that phrase?”

“I’ll make you read the book when you come back to me. Everyone should read the book at least once.”

“What book?”

“Just wait, Lord Thunder Britches.”

“Are you trying to drive me off by insulting me, _Miss_ Foster?” he countered, and her eyes narrowed playfully.

“It’s _Doctor_ , and you know it.”

“Do I? Perhaps you need to teach me a little more thoroughly.”

“Oh, you’ll remember it if I have to smack it into you the next time we meet.”

“I should like to see you try.”

“As _you_ wish,” she replied, smiling at him warmly now. “I really do have to get back to actually sleeping now. I have a lunch meeting tomorrow with another academic— Andrea, one of my old classmates set it up, it's a whole thing... Dressing nice, wearing makeup, all that fun stuff.”

“You'll have to tell me about it when next we speak.”

“Okay, I'll keep you in the loop. And I love you.”

“As I love you, _hjarta_. As I love you.” The dream dissolved, and for the first time in a long time, Jane woke up with a smile on her face.


	8. Convergence and Connection

“I am going to kill you.”

“Jane, really, don’t be so dramatic—“

“You set me up on a blind date and told me I was meeting with someone for potential grant money! What is _wrong_ with you, Andrea?”

“This is an intervention, darling! You’ve been so wrapped up in your work, your life needs balance,” Andrea replied primly. “Richard’s a lovely man, much better than that stuck-up doctor you were dating before—”

“Did you think to ask me if I _wanted_ a date?”

“When was the last time you had one?”

“Um—“ Jane didn’t want to go into the whole complex situation with Thor. If Andrea found out she was dating an Avenger, _everyone_ would know, and then it would be ‘Jane Foster, Thor’s Girlfriend,’ not ‘Dr. Jane Foster, PhD., future Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist.’ She wasn’t in the mood for that now, or ever.

“I thought so.”

“Oh, shut up. I’m going to finish this date, but only so it’ll shut you up. And if you _ever_ do this again, you’re dead to me, got it?”

“Keep telling yourself that, love.”

“Ugh!” Jane ended the call and shoved her phone into her back pocket before storming out of the ladies room back to the table where her unwanted _date_ was waiting.

“Hi.” Richard smiled at her with the face she couldn’t help but compare to a basset hound— kind of droopy, but still likable. She felt really bad that she was going to have to burst his bubble, he seemed like a nice enough guy.

“Hi,” she mumbled, taking her seat and trying not to hit her face with the menu.

“So, what's the story with you?” Richard prompted curiously and Jane cringed.

“You know, just because a girl takes a while in the powder room that doesn’t mean there’s a story.”

“Your face fell when I mentioned this was a blind date, Jane, which means you didn’t know it was one. So, I think there's a story and I'm thinking the story involves a guy.”

Dammit, he was smart. “It’s complicated,” she protested defensively.

“Is he still around?”

“We’re still together, yeah,” Jane confirmed. “He’s just not around right now, he’s, um, deployed.”

“Military man?”

“Something like that. He’s been away for a year now. But we’re not really public about it, so Andrea had no idea when she tried to set you and me up.” Jane took a sip from her water glass, then nearly choked as she heard the sounds of a familiar voice arguing with the maître d’.

“Come on, I really have to get in there to talk to my boss!”

“Miss, we cannot just allow you to burst in here.”

“I am so sorry, that’s my assistant. I better go see what she wants.” Jane stood, grabbing her jacket and scarf rather hastily as she glanced at Richard apologetically. “You can get my number from Andrea, I’ll pay you back for whatever you end up ordering—”

“Jane, it’s alright, you don’t have to do that. Go see what she needs, and good luck with your boyfriend. I hope you get to see him again soon.”

“Me too, Richard,” Jane mumbled as she headed over to the hosts’ stand. “Me too.” 

Darcy was pulling on her beanie in frustration as she continued to argue. “Come on, just let me in!”

“She’s with me,” Jane interrupted, hooking her arm through Darcy’s. “And we’re going now.”

“Very good, ma’am.” The older man nodded as Jane tugged her assistant out onto the street.

“I’m annoyed that you didn’t just think to call me, but thanks for saving me from a pretty awkward situation.”

“It’s why you keep me around.” Darcy beamed. “Oh, and you look really nice. You’re wearing lady clothes and you even showered, didn't you? You smell good.”

“I’m going to ignore that last part and just tell you that I thought I was at a meeting to discuss further grant money, but it turns out I was actually set up on a blind date. But never mind that, what was so important that you needed to come all the way out here?”

“Right. You know all that scientific equipment you don't look at anymore?” Darcy pulled one of the monitors Jane had been recalibrating to detect energy surges like the Bifröst and the Tesseract. “You might want to start looking at it again.”

Jane took the little handheld device and examined the readings with a furrowed brow. “It’s malfunctioning,” she observed.

“Yeah, I know, that’s what I said,” Darcy remarked as Jane smacked the device against the nearest lamp post. “And that's what I did. I thought you would do something a little more scientific.”

“But it’s kind of familiar,” Jane mused. “It does resemble the kinds of readings we got right before the Tesseract opened a portal. Did you manage to get the origin point, at least?”

“Yeah, my intern has it programmed into the GPS.”

“Great, then we can— Wait, _what_?” As Darcy started pulling her to the car by her sleeve, Jane tugged her arm away. “What would make you think we can afford an intern? Did you not hear the part about our needing grant money?”

“Oh, yeah, I almost forgot.” Darcy produced a crisp white envelope as she opened the shotgun side door for Jane. “Betty forwarded this to us.”

As Jane sat, she saw the Stark Industries logo emblazoned on the return address. Cautiously, she ripped it open and pulled out what was inside. Along with a check that had an ungodly number of zeros, there was a small piece of paper that gave off a whiff of spicy perfume, its message written in nearly flawless cursive.

_Happy birthday from Tony and me. Don’t spend it all in one place! We hope you’ll be back in time for the next StarkExpo, we’d love to give you time to speak about your work! All my best, P. Potts._

“Oh, _mazel tov!_ Pepper Potts is officially our guardian angel,” Jane announced with a gleeful smile. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Just a second, Dr. Foster.”

“Oh, dear God!” Jane shrieked as she realized there was a completely unfamiliar British guy, around the same age Darcy had been when she’d started her own internship, sitting in the driver’s seat. “The intern is _driving_?”

“I’d drive on the right,” Darcy pointed out from the backseat. “And I didn’t think that’d make you very happy. C’mon, Ian, pedal to the metal already.”

“Yes, Miss Lewis.”

“You hired him just so he could call you that, didn’t you?” Jane hissed over he shoulder, and Darcy shrugged.

“Maaaaaaaybe.”

“I’m suspending your movie night privileges.”

“Jane, nooooo.”

“Who’s the boss?”

Darcy groaned. “You are.”

“Damn right I am.” Jane took out her phone, dialing Erik’s number. “Hi, Erik. It's me again. We’ve got some interesting readings, and I thought you were here looking into this too, but you’ve gone off the grid for weeks now… I’m worried about you, can you please give me a call when you get this? I’m going to try again later, anyway. Okay, bye!”

“Perfect timing, we’re here,” Darcy announced. “C’mon, this is gonna be exciting. Even the intern’s excited!”

“Ian,” he reminded her, and Jane sighed, stepping out of the car and surveying the apparently abandoned lots and warehouses surrounding them. What was the point of picking a place like this? It didn’t seem appropriately grand for Asgardians, did that mean this wasn’t premeditated? Was the Bifröst some level of sentient? Was this some—

“Do you want the phase meter?” Darcy asked, interrupting her thoughts.

“No.”

“Bring the phase meter. The toaster-looking thing.”

“Yeah. I know what the phase meter is,” Ian grumbled. Jane could relate to the poor guy. While she found it a little refreshing that Darcy was so into their work now, her assistant’s energy was exhausting. Especially for people who weren’t used to it. She started to drift towards one of the big crates, one eye on the spectrometer as she moved. Then her phone started blasting some ungodly mess of sounds that might have been a song, and she groaned, answering the call from Darcy.

“How do I change the ringtone on this thing?”

“Jane, you have degrees in astrophysics and engineering, how can you not know how to change a ringtone?”

“I don’t use my phone as much as you do. Why are you even calling me?”

“I didn't want to shout. Intern says it's this way.”

“Miss Lewis, my name’s Ian!”

Jane tuned out the argument as she followed the two younger people into the warehouse. “Shh,” she instructed, cocking her head to hear the wind whistling through the building. There was also the sound of footsteps.

“I am not getting stabbed in the name of science,” Darcy warned petulantly.

“I said shhh. And keep your hand on your taser.”

“I left it in the States! They’re illegal here!”

“Who’s there?” A little boy, probably ten years old, stepped out, brandishing a piece of pipe like he was in a game of Clue. Another boy and a girl were with him, all about the same age. If Jane was going to guess, they were probably playing hooky. “What do you want?”

“I’ve seen her before,” the girl pointed at Jane mistrustfully. “Dunno where, but I bet she’ll try to make it go away.”

“Are you the police?” the first boy asked.

“Not exactly.”

“How come Maddie knows you, then?”

“I’m Doctor Jane Foster. I work with the Avengers. Your friend probably saw me on TV,” Jane explained.

“No way.”

“Way.” Jane opened her phone and scrolled through the photos until she found one of Steve from a movie night. “See? Captain America.”

“Whoa,” the kids said in unison, their eyes widening.

“This is Darcy and Ian, they work for me. Can you show us what you found? I promise we won’t make it go away.”

“Will you tell us more about the Avengers?”

“If you show us.”

“This way.” The boy who hadn’t spoken before beckoned them into an inner courtyard where a bunch of trucks and trailers were sitting. Without saying a word, he reached over to one of the biggest ones and tapped its grill lightly. It started floating up into the air like it was a plastic toy in the bath.

“Oh, my God,” Jane whispered, looking between the truck and the spectrometer. The signal was getting stronger. “This is incredible.”

“There’s more,” Maddie said. “Do you wanna see it?”

“Absolutely. Ian, you stay here. Document as much of this as you can on the phase meter and anything else you packed. Darcy, you’re with me.” They followed Maddie to a stairwell, the pre-teen picking up a discarded beer bottle as they went. “Aren’t you too young for drinking?”

“It’s not for that,” Maddie said, climbing up the stairs. “You wait there.”

“Why?” Darcy asked curiously, taking out her phone.

“Watch.” Maddie dropped the bottle and Jane winced in anticipation of the glass shattering. But instead, the bottle disappeared into the air and she gasped.

“Where’d it go?”

“Wait a minute,” Maddie said, shushing Darcy. “And look up.”

Following the instructions, Jane had to gasp again as the bottle dropped down from two flights above them. It was practically a loop. Perpetual motion. It was beautiful. Looking down at the spectrometer, her eyes widened further at the readings it was displaying. “I’m going to follow this, maybe I can find the source. It _looks_ like Bifröst readings, but the Bifröst isn’t here… I need more data.”

“What should I do?”

“Get me _all_ the data from this, Darcy.”

“You got it, Jane. And I am totally sending you some relevant memes when we go home.”

Leaving her assistant behind with an eye roll, Jane slowly made her way down the corridor, shivering slightly. The air felt colder and stale. Maybe this was what it was like to be meat in a freezer. But there was something else in there too, the beginning of a fight-or-flight instinct. She remembered this feeling from the PEGASUS base, right before Loki showed up. 

_No fear, Foster_ , she told herself. And yet she was tempted to reach for her phone and call Stark. She didn’t have any chance of surviving against one of the Chitauri, if this was them trying to make a return performance. But before she had the chance to do anything, some weird invisible force seemed to wrap around her ankles and jerk her forwards until she felt the rush of wind turn into a ripple.

And suddenly, she was somewhere she couldn’t recognize at all, a place that might have been designed for a video game. A dimly lit cave with a huge precipice that the invisible force had nearly flung her over. “Hello?” she shouted. “Darcy? Ian? _Kveðja_?” The Old Norse word for _greeting_ came out totally mangled, but since there was no one responding, she figured it probably didn’t matter.

The fight-or-flight feeling was getting stronger, a thick miasma of something ancient and dark encircling her with a sibilant whisper. Jane turned to see a monolith separated into two pieces behind her, its heart glowing a faint red. And it felt like it was talking to her.

**_Come to me, come to me, just a little closer._ **

She couldn’t disobey. She didn’t want to disobey. Her feet moved her towards the monolith, and as she drew closer, she saw that the heart wasn’t a light but a substance, a red fluid so dark it was almost black, swarming, writhing, almost shrieking. For a moment, Jane almost succumbed to the urge to touch it, but then her common sense kicked back in. She had to get back to Darcy and Ian. But as she turned to go, her boot caught on an uneven stone and she lost her balance, forcing her to grab the monolith for support.

The substance launched itself at her, slithering up her wrist and sinking into her skin. Jane gasped, stumbling away and trying to breathe. She felt nauseous and unsteady, and her knees buckled as the entire world went black, and the voice seemed to croak out a triumphant laugh.

**_Mine_**.

* * *

“Not in a mood for celebrating, brother?” Thor stopped and turned to see Sigyn standing in the archway with Váli and Narvi each holding one of her hands. She looked significantly healthier than she had when he’d left her on Niðavellir, he was glad to see that.

“Unfortunately, no, but that does not mean I am not glad to see you,” he replied with a smile, bending down and opening his arms so that the twins could come hug him, which they did happily. “What are you doing back here?”

“We missed Amma,” Váli said, climbing up onto Thor’s back and pulling at his hair in the process. “And you, Uncle. And we wanted to hear all about the war! Will you tell us?”

“I have other business to attend to,” Thor told him apologetically as he carefully disentangled his elder nephew from his shoulder and stood. “But Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg are all in the taverns, they would love to tell you everything, I’m sure.”

“But you tell the stories best!” Narvi complained.

“Boys, your uncle wants to be alone, he’s allowed that,” Sigyn scolded gently, taking a moment to reach out and squeeze Thor’s hand. “I’m sure you’ll find time for us later,” she said reassuringly. “Come, you two, we’ll see if Volstagg’s brought his children. You two should get to play with your friends.”

“Goodbye, Uncle!” The twins chorused, waving as their mother whisked them off. Thor chuckled and resumed his journey to the Bifröst, arriving to hear the amused voice of the gatekeeper.

“ You’re late.”

“You know why I was,” Thor pointed out with a smile.

“Indeed. A part of me dreads the day when those boys come to me as you once did.”

“You underestimate their mother.” Thor moved closer to the center of the Observatory. “How fare the stars?”

“Still shining. From here, I can see nine realms and ten trillion souls. Do you recall what I taught you of the Convergence?”

“Yes. The alignment of the worlds. It approaches, doesn't it?”

“The universe hasn't seen this marvel since before my watch began. Few can sense it. Even fewer can see it. But while its effects can be dangerous, it is truly beautiful,” Heimdall said with a small smile. “But I suspect that is not the beauty you came seeking.”

Thor grinned openly. After the unpleasant conversation with his father, it was a relief to talk to someone who understood about Jane. Heimdall had been his closest confidante on the subject ever since the destruction of the Bifröst. “How is she?” he asked.

“She's quite clever, your mortal. She doesn't know it yet, but she studies the Convergence as well.” Thor couldn’t help but chuckle. Jane was probably delighted, he could just picture the wide-eyed delight on her face. Then he saw the fear in Heimdall’s golden eyes.

“What is it?”

“I can't see her.”

All the blood drained from Thor’s face and he reached out his hand to summon Mjölnir. “Open the bridge.”

“I can’t see her,” Heimdall repeated. “I cannot send you to her if I cannot see her.”

“Then send me wherever you last saw her!” The hammer landed in his hand, his armor materializing as he gripped the weapon tightly. “I will find her myself if I have to, Heimdall, _please.”_ He could not lose her, not without losing a part of himself.

* * *

Jane was lost. More than lost, she wasn’t sure she was in a real place. Everything was red and foggy and indiscernible, everything except the voice in her head.

**_How glad I am to have you, my Host. Reality itself will soon bow before me, thanks to you._ **

She thrashed about wildly, trying to shake the parasite free but it was no use. And then her eyes opened. 

She was back in the parking lot outside the warehouse, the London sky its usual gloomy gray. Had she dreamed all that?

“Jane!” As she pushed herself up into a sitting position, she saw Darcy running toward her, looking paler than usual. Though that might have had something to do with the police cars behind her. “Where the hell were you?”

“Tell me you didn't call the police,” Jane warned furiously as she got to her feet.

“Well, what was I supposed to do?”

“ _Not_ call the police!”

“I was freaking out!”

“ _You_ were freaking out?! The police are going to get the feds involved and then SHIELD will swoop in, just like they did in New Mexico! We’ll lose everything!”

“Jane—”

“We had a stable gravitation anomaly! We had unimpeded access! Our only competition was ten years old!”

“Jane!” Darcy grabbed her by the shoulders. “You were gone for five hours.”

Jane blinked in disbelief. “What?” That couldn’t be right. “Are you sure?” she asked, vaguely aware of thunder rumbling overhead and the sound of rain falling.

“That’s weird,” Darcy remarked as she pointed at the ground. Jane followed her finger and realized that they were standing in a dry circle of pavement. She looked up to find the source of the rain and caught the telltale flash of scarlet cloth.

“Thor!” she shouted his name, rushing towards him as every other thing in the world disappeared until there was only the two of them. Sirens might have been going off, Darcy might have been complaining about the rain, but none of it mattered. Jane hit her boyfriend’s solid chest with a little thump and clung to him.

“Jane,” he murmured, stroking her hair fondly as he held her close.

“You’re here.” They said it together, and she pulled back slightly, frowning up at him.

“Why wouldn’t I be here? This is where I’m supposed to be.”

“You disappeared from Heimdall’s sight, I asked him to send me here immediately.”

“You were worried about me?” Jane couldn’t help blushing as she smiled. “That’s so sweet.”

“Of course I was.” Thor pressed a warm, callused hand to her cheek and bent down, his lips centimeters from hers. She could smell honey and some kind of liquor on his breath, and it was practically making her swoon. “ _Stjarna minn._ ” Jane actually knew what that meant, thanks to her mother’s library. _My star._ He was too cute. She stood on her tiptoes, just brushing their mouths together when the sound of boots tapping on pavement got louder and faster.

“‘Scuse me, lovebirds,” Darcy said, clearing her throat as she pointed up at the sky. “Is this you, big guy?”

“Oh.” Thor looked a bit sheepish as the rain stopped. “Forgive me.”

“S’all good.”

“ _Darcyyyyy_ ,” Jane whined through clenched teeth. “We were having a moment.”

“Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure we are getting arrested. So moments are gonna have to wait.”

Jane groaned. “Okay, I’ll handle this. Both of you stay put. I mean it, do not go _anywhere_ , Thor.”

“As you wish, _hjarta_.”

“ _Farm boy,_ ” she shot back with a little smile as she headed towards the police officers.

“Look at you, still all muscle-y and everything. How's space?” she heard Darcy ask.

“Space is fine,” Thor replied amiably.

The smile got bigger, then immediately smaller as she had to put on her game face for the police. “Excuse me.”

“Are you Jane Foster?” the sergeant asked as his colleague started cuffing Ian.

“ _Doctor_ ,” she corrected. “Why are you arresting my intern?”

“This is private property and you're trespassing, the lot of you. You'll have to come with me.” He grabbed her arm and the red parasite screeched, unleashing an explosion of energy that knocked everyone to the ground, including her.

“Jane!” Thor rushed to her side, helping her sit up as she groaned. “Are you alright?”

“I-I don’t know,” she admitted, with a groan, holding onto her pounding head. “What just happened?” In trying to stand, she stumbled slightly and he caught her, supporting her against his own sturdy frame.

“I’ve got you, _hjarta._ ”

“Place your hands on your heads," the cop ordered, brandishing his nightstick at her. "Sir, I need you to step back.”

“She is unwell, she needs help,” Thor said protectively.

“Seriously, do you not know who they are?” Darcy asked, coming up on the right and clearly trying to do a Black Widow kind of pose. “That’s _Thor._ The Avenger? God of Thunder? Future King of Space?”

“Please, I need to follow procedure, and you both need to stand back, this woman is clearly dangerous.”

“So am I,” Thor growled, and there was a loud crash of thunder as his grip tightened around Jane’s waist. “Do you trust me?”

“Generally,” she whispered, feeling slightly terrified. “What are you doing?”

“Heimdall,” Thor said, looking up and suddenly, they were bathed in a rainbow light that seemed to be electrically charged. She could vaguely hear Darcy yelling, but the roar of the energy around her drowned most of it out. And beyond the beam, she could see stars. So many gorgeous stars and nebulae and planets and galaxies— this was better than porn. Thor kept his arm firmly around her as the energy died away and they were deposited in a golden-domed room.

“We _have_ to do that again,” Jane declared giddily, spinning around to try and take in the full expanse of the new environment.

“Whoa!” Darcy yelped as she somersaulted through the Bifröst, landing solidly on her butt. “Dude, a little warning next time— oh, _hello_.” Following her assistant’s suddenly sultry gaze, Jane realized they weren’t alone. A man in gold armor that flawlessly complemented his rich brown skin stood on a podium above them, holding a rather impressive looking sword.

“H-Hi,” she stammered, and the man smiled as if they were sharing a secret.

“Jane Foster. Darcy Lewis. Welcome to Asgard.”


	9. Intentions and In-Laws

Jane wriggled happily on the examination table. She knew she should have been more freaked out by whatever _thing_ was inside her, but she was way too excited by the fact that she was actually in Asgard being examined by alien technology. “Be still,” the woman above her ordered as Darcy kept filming on her phone.

“This is so cool, Jane.”

“I know!” Jane whispered back giddily as she looked at the lady and the orange holographic representations floating above her. “Is this a quantum field generator?”

“It’s a soul forge.”

“Does a soul forge transfer molecular energy from one place to another?” Jane asked. The woman stopped and looked at her, that same impressed and surprised look as when she would beat some teacher’s pet at the equations on the board that needed solving.

“Yes.”

“Quantum field generator,” Jane mouthed at Thor, who managed to smile at her despite the worried look had been on his face a moment ago. “Is everything okay—”

“My words are mere noises to you that you ignore them completely?” Everyone took hurried steps back as an old man with a golden eyepatch and a Santa beard stormed into the room, flanked by two of the soldiers in yellow cloaks and weird pronged helmets. Thor moved protectively in front of Jane.

“She is ill.”

“She is mortal,” the old man scoffed, “Illness is their defining trait.”

“Um, rude much?” Darcy whispered before the women shushed her. Thor didn’t waver though, and Jane pushed herself up to get a better look at the unfamiliar old man.

“I brought her here because we can help her.”

“She does not belong here in Asgard any more than a goat belongs at a banquet table. Nor does that one.”

“ _Excuse_ me?” Jane gawked at him in disbelief. “What gives you the right to call me a goat, who do you think you are?”

The old man looked at her, and in his one eye, Jane could see words a lot worse than _goat_ running through his mind. “I am Odin,” he told her. “King of Asgard and Protector of the Nine Realms.”

“Oh.” _Oh, my God, I am so, so dead._ “Well, I’m—”

“I know very well who you are, Jane Foster.” He said her name like it was the worst possible expletive. “And your servant.”

“ _Servant_?!?” Darcy very nearly charged at Odin, only to be caught by Thor.

“Darcy, hush,” he warned before looking at his father. “Eir could not recognize what has infected Jane, we—”

“Midgard has its healers. They are called doctors. Let them deal with it,” Odin interrupted gruffly. “Guards, take them back to the Bifröst and have them sent back at once.”

Jane felt her adrenaline begin to kick in as the guards stepped towards her, the thing inside her started to seethe and rage. “You really don’t want to—” Another flare of energy erupted from Jane’s body, sending the guards back into the stone pillars with a loud crash and demolishing most of the equipment in the room. “Do that,” Darcy finished her warning as she straightened up from ducking.

“Jane, are you alright?”  Thor asked.

“As alright as I can be, considering,” Jane answered, her speech slowing down as she realized Odin’s expression had changed. What had been disgust only moments before now looked a lot more like horror. Without asking, he reached over and grabbed her arm, passing it over with his hand. The parasite hissed as it was tugged to the surface of her skin, visible for the briefest moment before sinking back into Jane’s body.”

“It's impossible,” the old king said.

“The infection... It's defending her,” the healer woman, Eir, observed.

“No. It's defending itself,” Thor corrected, his frown deepening. Jane swallowed nervously.

“What does that mean?” Darcy asked, echoing her boss’s thoughts.

“Come with me, all of you,” Odin ordered. Thor helped Jane hop off the examination table and gestured Darcy to follow them. The former intern snapped photos of every inch of the corridors Odin led them down until they reached a room so amazing, Jane had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. This was a library that made Alexandria look like a cardboard box with three ratty romance novels in it. Walls of books, and a sky that seemed limitless, decorated with swirling cosmic paintings that seemed almost lifelike, and in the center of the room, a tree trunk erupted, its branches spreading out into the seemingly endless roof.

* * *

Odin took one of the books from a shelf carved into the tree and led them into a smaller room before he set it down, turning to an illustration of an even bigger tree that moved and rippled in the light.  “There are relics that pre-date the universe itself. What lies within her appears to be one of them. The Nine Realms are not eternal. They had a dawn as they will have a dusk. But before that dawn, the dark forces, the Dark Elves, reigned absolute and unchallenged.” He turned the page and Thor leaned in, peering at the new illustration.

" _Born of eternal night, the Dark Elves come to steal away the light._ ” There was a lyrical way to how he said the little rhyme. “I know these stories. Mother told them to us as children.”

“Their leader Malekith made a weapon out of that darkness and it was called the Aether. While the other relics often appear as stones, the Aether is fluid and ever-changing. It changes matter into dark matter.”

Jane opened her mouth, clearly about to ask something, but Odin continued speaking, so she just moved closer to get a better look at the image of black skinned creatures in their white masks.

“It seeks out host bodies, drawing strength from their life-force. Malekith sought to use the Aether's power to return the universe to one of darkness. But, after eternities of bloodshed, my father Bor finally triumphed, ushering in a peace that lasted thousands of years.”

“Mass genocide?” Everyone looked up at Darcy, who threw up her hands defensively. “What? It’s a logical guess considering the Vikings’ reputation and the whole vibe I’ve been getting from you guys, what with all the swords and armor and stuff!”

“They are no more,” Odin said coldly, any benevolence he might have shown gone now.

“The Aether was said to have been destroyed with them, and yet here it is,” Thor argued. “Surely we should account for the possibility—”

“The Dark Elves are dead,” his father insisted again.

“Does this book mention how to get the Aether out of me?” Jane prompted, before adding on, “your Majesty?”

“It does not.”

“So I’m a dead woman walking.”

“No way, there has to be something! You guys are gods!” Darcy insisted.

“Darcy,” Jane said, somehow sounding calm despite the circumstances. “I think it might be a good idea if you went back home.”

“ _What_?!”

“Someone needs to tell SHIELD what’s going on, we can’t risk anyone else getting infected with something else that might be at the truck lot.” Jane looked at Thor, her eyes pleading for him to provide her with some assistance. Darcy pouted up at him.

“Come on, big guy, I can help!”

“I think Jane is right, Darcy. You would be of more use on Midgard, and SHIELD should be alerted to this, among other things. The Convergence being nearly upon us, I do not think that this will be the only collision of our worlds.”

“You guys are going to owe me big time.”

“You’ll get a bonus once we cash that check Pepper sent us,” Jane promised, passing over an envelope which Darcy slid into her shirt. “Maybe your friend could take her back home, Thor? Fandral, right?”

“Yes. I’m sure he would enjoy that.” Thor really didn’t know what was going to happen if he left Fandral and Darcy alone together, but he wasn’t going to leave Jane. He turned to one of the Einherjar. “Find Fandral and have him bring Darcy back to the Observatory. He is to return as soon as she has departed.”

“Find  _her_ a set of chambers,” Odin ordered, indicating Jane to the other of the soldiers. “And _you_ ,” he fixed his gaze on Thor, “will come with me.” As the Einherjar led her away, Jane glanced back at Thor worriedly.

Thor gave Jane a reassuring smile. No, his father was not going to be pleasant, and he knew that this was a conversation he’d been putting off for too long, but he knew it would work out. He would not accept a future without Jane, plain and simple. They retreated into Odin’s study, the door locking behind them loudly.

“I suggest you prepare yourself. Before long, we shall have to bring her down to the vaults and contain the Aether once it uses the last of her life-force before it can take a new host,” Odin said bluntly.

“I will not let the Aether kill her. I _will_ find a way to extract it.” Thor looked his father in the eye.

“That was not a request, Thor. The safety of the Nine Realms must take precedence over your infatuation.”

“It is not an infatuation, Father.” He took a deep breath. “I love Jane, and I intend to marry her.”

Odin sat in his great chair, looking at the mural on the ceiling in disgust. “Just when I think you are showing your true potential to be a king, you resort to this petty childishness.”

“This is not petty childishness, Father. I have changed a great deal since meeting Jane, and it is because of her that I am able to show you my potential.”

“This is not the first time I have outlasted a rebellion,” Odin warned.

“You think this is a rebellion? Father, you saw my rebellious stage. That was what got me banished. Jane Foster found me in my banishment, and she made me realize what it meant to be a rational man and good leader to my people.”

“She has served what little purpose a mortal might have, your mind should be on other things!”

“She is not supposed to serve a purpose! She is someone with as much a right to life as anyone here on Asgard! Even if I did not love her, I still would not leave her to die!”

“Have your fun while you can,” Odin said coldly. “I can be patient. Now, leave.”

“Yes, Father.” Thor swallowed and turned towards the door. When he opened it, the twins toppled back, landing on their rears. Thor sighed. “And just what were you two doing?”

“Nooooothing,” they chorused, widening their eyes innocently.

“Mmhmm.” He fought the smile that wanted to tug at his lips. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you that eavesdropping is impolite?”

“Father said it’s the best way to learn things,” Váli retorted.

“Yes, well, your father may have had a point, but it is still rather rude. What are you two running around here for? I’m surprised your mother has let you out of her sight.”

“Mamma’s napping in the garden and you promised we could play!” Narvi reminded him. “Please? Afi said you were supposed to have fun!”

“Yes, well, I have other matters that I must attend to, Boys. I am truly sorry.” Thor knelt down to look at his nephews.

Váli immediately locked his arms around his uncle’s leg. “I’m not letting go.”

Thor sighed once more. “Váli, I could easily lift you. Please do not make this more difficult than it has to be.”

“But you promised!”

“I know, Boys. I will make it up to you when this is over. But I am needed elsewhere.”

“Take us with you!” Narvi insisted. “We’re your heirs!”

“It is not that kind of business, Narvi. It is personal.” He pulled Váli off his leg and lifted them both into one of his arms. “You know that I love you both and would do anything for you, but someone else needs me right now.”

“Who?”

“Her name is Jane. I love her very much.”

“Can we meet her?”

Thor’s heart stuttered slightly. He would love for Jane to meet his nephews, but he also knew that now was not really the time. “Not yet. For now, I am going to return you to your mother, and then I will introduce you to Jane when it is right.”

“I hate grown-ups,” Váli muttered as he grabbed his brother’s hand. “Let’s go.” They ran off down the hall, their outstretched hands tugging the cloaks and skirts of every person they passed.

Thor shook his head fondly as he watched them run off, and he then went in search of where they might have housed Jane. It took nearly two hours before he finally found the right set of chambers. “Um, knock!” Jane yelped a little as the door opened, squirming at the sound. “Ow!”

“You need to hold still,” Sigyn chided from where she was kneeling at Jane’s skirts.

“My apologies,” Thor said. “I didn’t mean to startle you, Jane.”

“Lucky for you, brother, she’s decent,” his brother’s wife laughed. “I brought some of my old gowns for her, I thought that might make her feel a little more comfortable. Unfortunately, I was not expecting her to be quite so…”

“You can just say tiny, I’ve heard it a million times,” Jane promised, tugging at the golden drape of the gown. “Do I, um, do I look okay? I haven’t dressed up like this since I went to the prom in high school.”

“You look breathtaking.” Thor smiled softly.

“My date said something like that, yet I still came back from the bathroom and found him making out with Heather Abramowitz.”

“I’m not quite sure who Heather Abramowitz is, but I promise you, you are the only one that I would ever make out with.” He grinned, the moment bringing him back to the banter of his younger days.

“There,” Sigyn announced. “You should be able to move without tripping over your skirts now.”

“Thank you, Sigyn.” Jane shifted her weight back and forth, biting her lip in that way that meant she was suppressing something to say. “You’ve got a pretty cool sister-in-law.”

“I know.” Thor put a hand on Sigyn’s shoulder. “Thank you, Sigyn. I appreciate this.” The Vanir woman smiled as she stood.

“You can thank me by telling me where those sons of mine have run off to.”

“The last I saw, they were running away from my father’s study. I’m not quite sure which direction they went in.”

Sigyn swore in the Dwarven tongue. “Little imps. It was a pleasure to meet you, Jane Nicolasdóttir. Excuse me.” She swept out of the room and Jane looked at Thor.

“So, how did Loki get her to fall in love with him exactly?”

“Honestly, even I do not know. They are, as I’ve said, very private.”

“Is everything okay with your dad?” Jane asked, changing the subject as she retrieved a violet shawl from the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“No. He doesn’t approve, and he doesn’t wish for me to interfere. But I am going to find a way to save you, Jane.”

“Will you show me around Asgard?”

“Of course.” Thor held out his arm. “What would you like to see?”

“Everything. Or my mother will kill me for denying her the research opportunity of a lifetime.” Jane slid her hand into the crook of his elbow.

“Well, everything might take a while, so we had best get started.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of us saw _Thor: Ragnarok_. The other is avoiding it on the advice of the first. Both of us had Fosterson feelings. And the Jane and Sigyn scene was partially inspired by fanart from the lovely Logyn-er nanihoo. You can see it [here.](http://nanihoosartblog.tumblr.com/post/119726140497/wow-this-is-old-to-go-with-the-idea-that-janes)


	10. Reawakening and Research

* * *

“So, what exactly _is_ the Convergence? You weren’t really clear,” Jane asked as they moved along the bridge overlooking the crystalline lake in the center of the planet. “It’s a cosmic phenomenon, I got that much.”

“Every five thousand years, the worlds align perfectly.” Thor took Jane’s hand, aligning their fingers. “The borders between worlds become blurred and almost nonexistent, and the worlds can interact with one another. Once the Convergence passes, those borders reappear in their firm standing of order.” His hand kept moving, offsetting their fingers.

“So, that’s why Heimdall lost sight and you came to find me? I was on a border?” Jane asked.

“Yes, I believe so.”

“And now I’m never going to another chance to document it,” she sulked. “Unless I spend the rest of my life inventing time travel.”

Thor chuckled. “Don’t you have faith? That could be your next project.”

“I’m still not fully done with Einstein-Rosen bridges. And considering that the _toys_ here are leagues ahead of my work,” she laughed a little. “Well, I have a long road ahead of me. But I’m glad you came looking for me.”

“I’m glad I did as well.” Thor put his hand on her cheek. Standing on tiptoe, Jane closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his, savoring the taste of him for a good long while.

“And you are welcome to explain things to me like that anytime you like,” she said with a grin.

“Mmm. Perhaps I will.” Jane’s fingers moved over Thor’s hands to brush against the ring.

“So. You made me a promise about these.”

“I did, didn’t I?” He looked down at her fingers.

“I think I’m owed that after you springing a _handsal_ on me without actually telling me what it meant.”

“Yes, of course.” He smiled before getting on one knee. “Dr. Jane Isabel Foster, would you do me the honor of standing beside me for the rest of our days as my wife? Would you be my companion and allow me to cherish you before all the Nine Realms?”

“You did your research,” she whispered, grinning like an idiot as she reached up to unclasp her necklace and slide her own ring off the chain, passing it over to him. “Yes. Yes, I will.”

“I promised you I would.” He put the ring on her left third finger, and then he stood up and kissed her. But this time, Jane didn’t let it last quite as long.

“About the rest of our days.”

“Jane, I _will_ find a way to save you. I will find more about the Aether and free you from it. My father doesn’t know everything—”

“Unlike some,” a voice warm and sweet as honey interrupted. Jane turned to see a woman in faded gold armor and a turquoise dress walking toward them, her smile practically beaming at them. Despite the fact that she was on the older side, there was a kind of timeless grace to the age lines on her face, and a sparkle in her eyes that made her seem to radiate welcoming and warm. “Thor, you’re being a terrible host, not introducing a guest to the mistress of the house.”

“My apologies.” Thor inclined his head towards her. “Jane, this is my mother, Frigga, Queen of Asgard. Mother, Dr. Jane Foster of Midgard.”

“H-hi,” Jane stammered shyly, but Frigga just swept her into a firm hug.

“I am very glad to finally meet you, dear. Though I wish it were under better circumstances.”

“Thanks, um… You can let me go now, ma’am,” Jane said awkwardly. Frigga laughed, releasing her from the embrace.

“I wasn’t interrupting anything, was I?” she asked, with a hint of mischief in her eyes. How this woman was married to Odin, Jane couldn’t understand. She was just so _nice_.

“No, Mother, not at all.”

“Not in the least,” Jane mumbled, refastening her necklace around her neck. She was just closing the clasp when a loud siren started blaring. “What’s that?”

“The prisons,” Frigga said, all mirth draining out of her face.

“I’m sorry, Jane. I must—” Thor looked at his mother.

“Go. I’ll look after her,” Frigga promised.

He got a running start and jumped off the balcony, arm outstretched. Mjolnir caught him, and his cape unfurled behind him as his armor appeared. Jane watched him go, biting her lip. “Is he going to be okay?”

“I ask myself that same question every day, and he has always returned,” Frigga said, taking her by the arm. “So I suggest that you follow me now and do exactly as I tell you. Women of the royal house have their own part to play.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jane was just starting to follow when the full weight of what Frigga had said landed with her. “Wait, what? Are we going to be fighting?”

* * *

Thor had a bad feeling about whatever was going on. Mostly because it came from the prisons, and that’s where Loki was. By the time that he got there, a full-scale riot had almost broken out. Fandral and Volstagg were both busy trying to force prisoners back into their cells, and Thor twirled Mjolnir as he joined the fray. “Return to your cells now, and we will go easier on you!” His voice boomed throughout the dungeon.

As the rest of the prisoners fell in line, there came a long, slow clap from the only cell with a single prisoner. “Most impressive, I didn’t think you deigned to handle this sort of rabble anymore,” Loki taunted as he lounged on his bed.

Thor sighed, dropping Mjolnir as he stood in front of Loki’s cell. “You call this rabble?”

“Well, you haven’t come to visit in so long, I assumed you were preparing for the second attempt at a coronation,” his adoptive brother answered snidely. “Or are we still delaying that in favor of mooning after mortal pets?”

Thor clenched his jaw. He would not rise to the bait. “Father has made it clear where he stands on that, and I have made it clear that I do not care. We are at an impasse.” And he was not going to tell Loki that Jane was here or that she was in danger.

Loki clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes. “Why am I not surprised?”

“And what about you, Loki? Trying to enslave mortals? They are not below us as you and father seem to think they are.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with this little scene, I swear by the Nine,” Loki protested, the most exaggerated expression of innocence on his face possible.

“No, I can see you’re quite comfortable. Why ruin that?” Thor crossed his arms.

“Shouldn’t you be dealing with the ones these idiots haven’t caught?” Loki drawled, indicating the two of the Warriors Three with a lazy finger.

“Fandral and Volstagg can handle their own. They would not still be alive after all our adventures if they couldn’t.” Thor glanced over at his friends, who were rounding up the last of the escaped prisoners.

“Yes, that’s why they missed the big horned fellow who broke open all the other cells and then headed up the stairs to the right.”

“Loki…” Thor’s eyes widened. “Fandral, Volstagg! Upstairs! _Now_!” Thor grabbed Mjolnir and took off towards the stairs.

* * *

“Amma, I’m scared.”

“It’s alright, Narvi,” Frigga said reassuringly, though Jane didn’t know how it was possible that she could do that while holding a sword and talking to a pair of five-year-olds who were way cuter than they had any right to be, considering who their father was. “Your grandfather and your uncle will protect us.”

The other twin looked at Jane. “You’re Uncle’s lover, aren’t you?”

“Váli!” Sigyn gasped, scandalized.

“He’s my fiancé,” Jane corrected. Oh, yeah, this was definitely Loki’s kid. “But I don’t think that needs to be talked about right now, we’re kind of in the middle of an invasion.”

“I’m not afraid. I’m a warrior,” Váli announced, holding up a skinny little sword that looked way too sharp for a kid his age.

“Put that down, your grandmother and I have this in hand,” Sigyn scolded.

“But, Mamma—”

“Hush.” The doors to the room shook and Narvi whimpered, burying his face in his mother’s lap. “It’s alright, my love, nothing’s going to happen to us.”

“Jane, you remember what I told you?”

“I do,” she nodded gravely.

“Good. Sigyn, you and the boys stand back.” Frigga raised her sword as the doors came crashing down and two figures advanced on them. One looked like the elves in the book, the other was massive, wearing an ugly horned helmet and armor that looked like rhino skin. His pale eyes glowed beneath the helmet, making the whole effect even creepier. Sigyn pulled her sons further back until they were standing against the wall with Jane, despite Váli trying to wriggle free. “Stand down, creature,” Frigga commanded, “and you may still survive this.”

“I have survived worse, woman.”

Frigga scoffed, clearly not impressed. “Who are you?”

“I am Malekith. And I would have what is mine.” Jane shivered as she remembered Odin’s story. The Aether bubbled inside her eagerly.

“I think not.” Without a hair moving from its intricate braiding, Frigga launched herself at Malekith, their blades meeting in a clash of sparks.

“Kill him, Amma!” Váli shouted savagely as the horned monster stalked towards them. Sigyn took her son’s sword from his hand and threw it straight at the creature, but it only growled, knocking it to the side. Sigyn responded by dropping to her knees, a shimmering wall of violet energy springing from the ground as her hand brushed the floor.

Jane felt the Aether surge again, and this time, Malekith noticed, turning his head towards her. You have taken something, child,” he observed, his low, booming voice rattling her bones. Panicking, Jane sidestepped Loki’s family, trying to give them as much space as possible, but the Dark Elf was too fast, moving in to corner her against the wall. “Give it back.”

As he reached out to touch her, the copy Frigga had created disappeared and the connection Jane had with it was lost. Now she could only hear as Malekith shouted. “Witch! Where is the Aether?”

The sounds of swords started again, but she could hear footsteps coming too, and new voices.

“Frigga!” That was Odin.

“Mother!” And that was Thor’s voice.

“The son of Bor,” Malekith growled. “I recognize the arrogance. I had hoped for your father, but I suppose you will have to do.” There were blasts coming with the metal clashing now, building to a crescendo. Jane could hear the twins whimpering, Sigyn groaning in exertion, and then someone let out a strangled sort of gasp. There was a thud and then a clatter as metal hit stone.

“ _N O_ _!_ ” Frigga’s shout rang out.

“Father!”

“I shall ask again,” Malekith said coldly. “ _Where is the Aether?”_

And Jane got an idea that was the most reckless, unsupported hypothesis of her life. Taking a deep breath, she picked up her skirts and charged out from behind the pillar, straight for the balcony. “Hey! You want it? Come and get it!” she shouted, before going against every survival instinct in her body and jumping over the railing.

* * *

“JANE!” She heard Thor shouting very faintly as the Aether’s rage drowned out everything right before the whole world went black.

Thor took two strides before he was clear of the architecture blocking him, and he summoned all the lightning that he could as Malekith charged after Jane. The Dark Elf absorbed most of the blast, burning half of his pale face black as his monstrous lieutenant grabbed him, pulling him over the edge. Just when it looked like they might strike Jane, a massive ship appeared from thin air, whisking them away into the atmosphere.

Thor jumped off the balcony, hoping he could make it to Jane in time. _I have to save her. I have to save her._ What he saw, though, was the Aether slowing her momentum. The red tendrils seemed alive, and he forced himself to go faster. The Aether slipped back inside as he wrapped his arms around her. “I have you, Jane.” He kissed her forehead.

Her chest rose and fell ever so slightly, the faintest hint of air moving in and out. She was alive. He spun Mjolnir in his hand, bringing them back up to where he’d left his family. His mother was kneeling at his father’s side, the twins hugging Sigyn very tightly so as not to see their grandfather…

 ** _Dead_**.

“Father…” Thor whispered. “Oh, Father, I am so sorry.” He set Jane down on the couch, and he knelt beside his mother.

“He will be in Valhalla,” Frigga whispered softly, closing her husband’s one eye and stroking his cheek mournfully.

“I know,” Thor agreed. “He died protecting us, just as he would have wanted.” He hugged Frigga, but she didn’t return it. She didn’t let go of his father.

“Hail, Thor, son of Odin, All-Father, Fourth King of Asgard and Protector of the Nine Realms,” she whispered instead.

Thor swallowed, tipping his head respectfully. “Thank you, Mother. But I did not want the throne. Not like this.”

“But the people need a King.”

On the couch, Jane groaned and stirred briefly, and Sigyn moved towards her, running a hand along her form. “Her life-force is very weak. I would need a soul-forge to know for certain, but I fear that she may have only days left if something is not done. What was she thinking?”

“She was trying to save my family. _Our_ family.” Thor swallowed, rubbing the back of his neck. “She is selfless.”

“Then I hope she is stronger than she looks, or she will be joining the other boats to make the journey,” Sigyn said. “But a mortal body… there is only so much they can withstand.”

“Jane is strong,” Thor said. _She has to remain strong, and we must find a way to finish this._

* * *

Jane woke up back in the bedroom she’d been given, wearing a soft white nightgown instead of the golden dress. Her entire body ached and burned and her awareness of the Aether was taking up about half her concentration. Turning her head, she saw Thor sitting in a chair beside the bed, his head lolling to one side as he slept, his hand resting on the pillow right next to where her head had been. “Hey,” she said softly, reaching out to nudge it. “Hey, Lord Thunder Britches. Wake up.”

Thor groaned softly, opening his stormy blue eyes. “Jane.”

“We’re not both dead, right?”

“We’re not dead, Jane.”

“Oh. That’s… a nice surprise.” She struggled to sit up. “Is, um, is your dad okay?” His face darkened and he looked downwards. She knew that look. “Oh, my God, Thor, I’m so sorry.” She’d always hated when people had said that to her after her own father’s death because it had never been their fault he was dead. But it _was_ her fault Odin was dead now.

“It was not your fault, Jane. You have nothing to apologize for.” Thor swallowed. “Death is something that we all must face, and Asgardians are prepared to give their lives to defend their home. Malekith would set out to destroy us all regardless if you were here or not.”

“You do not need to make me feel better. Even if I hadn’t gotten your dad killed, I feel like someone dropped a truck on me. And on that note, how am I not dead? I mean, I figured things would be okay, but I guess it’s still kind of surprising.”

“We’re not sure, Jane.” He took her hand in his. “Sigyn fears that you won’t survive much longer, but I promised you I would find a way to save you, and I will. We will stop Malekith and prevent the Aether from claiming you.”

“If the Aether doesn’t kill me, Darcy definitely will,” she said morosely.

Thor almost smiled. “I think I can keep Darcy at bay, Jane.”

“Do I have to call you Your Majesty now?” She meant it as a joke, but as soon as she said it, she realized it was probably way too soon.

“You will never have to call me that. How can I ask you to call me by a title meant to announce my superiority when you have seen me at my lowest and helped me find the path to becoming a better man?”

Jane sighed. Damn him and his sweetness. “Help me out of this bed and down to the library," she said finally.

Thor’s eyes widened, and his jaw clenched, but he did not protest. He picked her up with ease. “What are we looking for?”

“When I don’t know what else to do, I work. I research. There _has_ to be something about the Aether in that giant library, I can _feel_ this connection, I just don’t know what it is.”

“Then let us find out. Can you walk?” He put her on the floor, but he kept his hand on her waist.

“I’m going to try.” She stumbled slightly as she took the first shaky steps, but she didn’t fall over. “Yeah, I’m good.”

“Good.” He offered her his arm though. “This is the quickest way.”

“Quick is good.” Other Asgardians slowed as Thor passed them. Jane bit her lip, suddenly feeling extremely guilty and aware of the fact that she was in the Asgardian version of pajamas. “Tell me this isn’t what you’re doing instead of your dad’s funeral.”

“Of course not, Jane. Mother is doing the preparations. The funeral will be held tonight, along with all those who fell during Malekith’s attack.”

“I shouldn’t be there,” she muttered.

“Nonsense.” Thor looked down at her. “It was not your fault.”

“It won’t look that way to your people. This needs to be about them and you. I’d just make things awkward for everyone, and I’d be of more help if I keep researching.”

“I want you there,” he said softly. “Please.” He swallowed. “I will not force you if you would truly be uncomfortable, but... I would like you there.”

Jane shook her head. “I-I can’t. I’m sorry. I want to be there for you, I really do, but I just… I know a lot of people here clearly don’t like me. And me being there would just make things worse.”

“I don’t think it would do as you fear, but I will not try to change your mind. However, you are welcome to come with me, and I will offer again before I leave.” They had reached the library by now, and Jane ignored his offer, choosing to change the subject instead.

“What do you guys have here that’s like a search engine?”

“Our voice. The library can help guide us to what we want. In this case, we’d like information on the Dark Elves.”

“Move over, JARVIS,” Jane remarked as a pillar of light materialized in front of them, projecting an image of the Dark Elves’ ship. “What is there in the records about the Aether and the other relics?” she asked the pillar.

The image changed into the glowing, twisting, blood red of the Aether. “The Aether is one of six ancient relics known as the Infinity Stones.”

Jane leaned forward, realizing she could read the letters, as they shifted from the Asgardian runes into English letters. “ _It is the stone known to manipulate Reality,"_  she read aloud, brow furrowing. “What do the other five control? Do you know?” she asked, looking up at Thor.

“The Tesseract was one of them. It controls space.” Thor shrugged. “How SHIELD managed to find it, I’m still not sure, but we’re lucky that it didn’t do as much damage as it could have.”

“They fished it out of the ocean with Steve,” Jane told him, but her frown was deepening. “Thor, the scepter Loki was using. It had a similar energy signature. I never got to properly examine it because he attacked the helicarrier, but I’m pretty sure they _have_ to be connected somehow. It’s another Stone.”

“That was how he controlled Hawkeye, yes?” Thor glanced at the pillar and down at Jane.

“And Erik, and a ton of other agents.” She swallowed nervously. “But that would mean…”

“It could well be the Mind Stone,” Thor said. “If you’re correct, and I believe you are, then we will have to talk to Loki.”

“Right, because god forbid there be a shortage of people in your family who want me dead.”

“Loki will not touch you,” Thor growled. “We will talk to him after Father’s funeral.”

“I guess I should go put on clothes, then.”

“I’ll bring you back to your room. I can send for Sigyn if you need help.”

“I think I’ll be okay.” She turned to take his hand and squeeze it tightly. “Are _you_ okay?”

He sighed. “I have to be.”

“Uh-uh. You can pull that strong and tough bullshit with the rest of the world. But not with me.”

He brought up a hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I’m not. My father taught me so much, and…I don’t know how to put these feelings into words, Jane. With Loki, there’s always been a sliver of hope that he made it through whatever it is that he’s in the middle of. But this...there is no hope.”

Jane carefully wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “I know. I went through the same thing when I lost my dad. And it’s not easy, but if anyone can make it through this, you can. And I’m here for you.”

“Thank you, Jane.” He held her close. “That means a lot.”

“You’re going to be okay,” she promised. “But it’s okay if you’re not there yet.”

“Thank you.” He ran his fingers through her hair. She leaned her head against his chest, and for a very long moment, the two of them just stayed there.


	11. Bargains and Battles

Thor should have paid more attention to how magic worked. The spell to change Odin’s body to stars took far more energy than simply summoning lightning. The lights held by the citizens of Asgard started to drift into the sky, joining the ones Thor had made. Frigga reached out to take Gungnir from him as Jane squeezed his other hand.

“You did well,” his mother told him. “He would be proud.”

“What happens now?” Váli asked, tugging at the dark cloak he was wearing, his discomfort obvious.

“You two are going to bed,” Sigyn said, affixing Thor with a severe look that showed anxiety and awareness shining in her eyes. “Your uncle has much to do before the coronation.”

“I thought he was already King,” Narvi said, furrowing his brow in confusion.

“He still needs a coronation, my love. And we must all be prepared for that.” Sigyn picked up the younger of her twins. “Now say good night.”

“Good night, uncle. Good night, Amma,” the boys chorused. If Jane was hurt by being left out, she didn’t let it show as Sigyn led her sons back towards the palace.

“I do not like this plan of yours,” Frigga warned once they were alone. “Loki will try to take advantage of you, he will know you are vulnerable.”

“I know, Mother. But I will not let Malekith destroy our realm. Our people must be safe.”

“I could go alone,” Jane offered timidly. “Maybe he’d gloat more if it was just me.”

“No.” Thor nearly growled. He would not have Jane alone with Loki. “I do not have the same hopes I’ve had in the past. You will not be left alone with him.”

“Isn’t he in a cell?”

“Yes, but I still do not trust him. I will be there when we talk to him.”

“Well, okay, then.” Jane pulled the violet shawl around her shoulders a little closer to her body. “Lead the way, they’re your dungeons.”

Thor looked at his mother. “We will be back shortly.” He kissed her cheek before offering Jane his arm. He would not let Jane out of his sight, so even if she told him to lead the way, he would still be by her side. She took it, and they made their way down into the inner sanctums of the palace, past the weapons vault and into the dungeons.

Loki was sprawling on his bed like a contented cat, looking them over with a lazy eye. “Two visits in one day. Should I dare to hope you’ve missed me?” he drawled.

“Loki, I have missed you for a long time. The brother I once had, anyways. I’m not quite sure who you have become. But I need your help.”

“Surely you don’t expect me to give something for nothing.” Loki’s gaze went from Thor to Jane, and his smile widened into something feral and dangerous. “Even through the walls of this cell, I can feel what she has inside her. Oh, what I could do with that kind of power—”

“What do you know about it?” Jane interrupted. “Leave the mind games and just tell us.”

Loki clucked his tongue. “Such a temper, Jane Foster. How dreadfully uncouth.”

“Loki,” Thor growled. “Enough. I’m not sure what I can offer you. But the only way to save Asgard, to save Mother, is to get Jane out and face Malekith on our own terms.”

“Exoneration.” Loki stood and walked towards them, leaning forward so that they were at an eye level. “That’s my price. You want my information, we wipe the slate clean. Do we have an understanding?”

Thor swallowed. Part of him knew that he could not just exonerate Loki. He had done so much, and there was no telling of what he would do if he was free again. But he also knew that he could not do this without Loki’s help. “Alright, Loki. I will exonerate you. After you help us, your crimes will be pardoned, and you will be free once more.” He turned to the wall, searching for the switch to turn the cell off. As soon as he found the switch, he hit it.

And just as quickly, Loki sprang forward, grabbing Jane by the waist and pulling her to him, one arm around her neck. “Get off me, you creep!” Jane shouted, thrashing wildly without result.

Thor spun towards them. “Let her go, Loki.” He raised Mjölnir.

“Ah, ah,” Loki smirked as he started to step towards the stairs. “The Aether isn’t threatened by me, but that won’t be the case if you start swinging that thing around.” The Einherjar raised their spears, but Loki didn’t stop. “Go ahead and try. You know I could easily snap her neck before the first one lands.”

“Let her go,” Thor repeated.

“In a moment, dear brother. I have need of something else first.”

“You slimy little snake!” Jane shouted, still trying to break free as Loki dragged her out of the dungeons. “Get your hands off me!”

Thor moved quickly, trying to follow without alarming the Aether. He knew that it would not be good if the Aether had another pulse while here. “Loki, we can resolve this without involving Jane!”

“Oh, I don’t think we can.” Jane took that moment to try biting down on Loki’s arm, but he just squeezed, making her gasp. “Bad girl, Jane Foster. Really, Thor, you must train your pets better than this.”

“Screw you, Loki!” she snapped as he began to descend the stairs leading to the vault. For a moment, the Aether surged up to be visible beneath her skin, and her irises turned from brown to a luminescent blue against black sclera. “Thor…” she rasped out.

“Jane.”

“There you are.” Loki’s eyes fell upon the Tesseract. 

“Loki, what are you doing?” Thor growled. “Do you know what could happen?”

“Do you think I care?” Loki flung Jane roughly against one of the vault pedestals, right next to the Tesseract. For the briefest moment, her hand brushed against the cube, and suddenly the vault was consumed in a flash of its blue light.

* * *

 

Jane came to with a pounding headache and a lingering soreness in every muscle of her body. It wasn’t quite as bad as when she’d woken up from the near-suicidal jump, but it was definitely on her top ten list of most painful moments. She felt grass beneath her hands and pushed herself up to look around.`

“Jane?” Thor groaned. The explosion had taken a lot out of all of them.

“I’m here.”

“Are you alright?”

“I have no idea,” she admitted as her eyes scanned the park they were apparently in. The cloudy skies seemed to indicate England, which was slightly relieving. “Where’s that dirtbag brother of yours?”

“I’m...not sure. This is not a good thing.”

From behind him, Jane saw a huge ship starting to materialize out of thin air. “I think it’s about to get even worse.”

“Fantastic.” Thor hefted Mjölnir in his right hand. Jane slowly took a breath, willing the Aether to work with her. It only seemed to laugh at her attempts as the massive T-shaped vessel drove its tip into the earth and a ramp started to materialize, a vaguely familiar figure standing at the top of it. The Aether surged and laughed and the hairs on the back of Jane’s neck stood on end.

“Malekith followed us.”

“Which is what we wanted, but Loki had to make things complicated. I’m not sure how we’re supposed to make this work now. There are too many people that could get hurt, too many things that could go wrong.”

“Hopefully, Darcy told SHIELD about what was happening,” Jane said, flexing her fingers in another attempt to get the Aether to cooperate. It went just as badly as it had the first time. “Much as he annoys me, we could use a Nick Fury right now.”

“I suppose I’ll just have to keep him busy and hope that SHIELD is able to come and help us.”

“Come to join your father, Odinson?” Malekith asked, a mocking rumble accentuating the taunt as he drew nearer. Jane clenched her fists

“No. I’ve come to deliver his revenge.” Thor twirled Mjölnir, stepping forward, but Malekith only laughed and extended a hand. Jane felt the Aether pull her up into the sky and start oozing out of every pore and opening her body had. The crimson gas started to collect in the sky as she dropped to the ground and she sucked in a breath before realizing.

“Thor, now! You can get it!”

Thor summoned lightning, and he directed it at the Aether. Jane ducked, covering her head to shield herself from the blast of Mjölnir’s full power. She waited until the scent of the ozone started to die before she raised her eyes. The Aether started to float up from the ground in glittering beads as Malekith laughed, holding out his arms as it poured into him, turning his entire body a pitch black.

_Shit_.

“Thank you, Odinson,” he gloated, smirking at Thor.

“I will not let you plunge the realms back into darkness.”

“When the Convergence comes, you will not have a choice.” Malekith signaled the squad of masked elves behind him and the giant horned monster before he ascended the ramp, disappearing back into the ship.

“Jane, run.” Thor twirled Mjölnir warningly.

“There’s no way you can take them all alone!” she protested, but he was already on the offensive, charging at the hoard. She grasped for her phone, then realized that she didn’t have it. She’d left it in her jacket on Asgard.

Shit.

The smaller elves fell easily to Mjölnir, but the big one with the horns just waited. Jane scrambled to her feet and rushed to the nearest passerby, who was filming the whole thing on their phone. “Give me that.”

“Are you mad, lady? That’s Thor!”

“Give me your phone before I hurt you!”

He scoffed at her, turning back to the action. Scowling, Jane pulled back her fist, imagined he was Loki and swung the sharpest left hook possible, snatching the phone out of the air as he dropped it in the attempt to cover his face. “What the hell?!?”

“I warned you,” she said snidely, dialing the three nines that made up the British emergency code. “Hi, there’s a situation of aliens here, and I know SHIELD is listening, so I’m just going to say that this is Doctor Jane Foster, and you need to get your helicarrier in gear.” Then she hung up and erased the number from the calls history. “Thanks.”

“My video didn’t save!”

“And in a few days, the world might not be here, which do you think is the bigger problem?” Jane retorted, noticing the big gun looking things lying next to the Dark Elves Thor had already dealt with. No fear, Foster, she reminded herself, charging forward to grab the gun and aim at the monster. “Come on, work, work,” she muttered, grasping for some kind of trigger until it fired into the big, horned back. And then the monster turned on her, its eyes glowing as it started to advance. She struggled to fire again, but the mechanism seemed to be jammed. “Thor?!”

He whirled around, and his eyes widened. He spun Mjölnir, flying towards her and the demon. Jane scanned the thing’s chest, trying to find a chink in the weird armor. Then she realized she probably didn’t have the strength to do anything about it, so she spun like a matador as the monster charged her, getting mostly out of the way, but not without one of the horns tearing into her arm just before Mjölnir came crashing down.

“Jane!” Thor summoned Mjölnir back to him.

“Stab him!” she shouted, tossing the gun thing to him. Thor did as she ordered, stabbing the monster. “Now the hammer again. Quickly!”

Thor brought Mjölnir down as hard as he could. The monster howled as Jane did a little more grave digging and found some weird looking square thing that kind of seemed like it might have been a grenade. She fingered it for a moment before it lit up in her hand.

Thor’s eyes widened. “Throw it at him, Jane!” She nodded, flinging it with all her might before picking up her skirts and running.

“Duck!” she shouted at the people who were still watching, just as a miniature black hole seemed to materialize around the monster, sucking it into nothingness. “Oh, my God.”

Thor strode up to her. “Are you alright?”

“Fine, fine, you?” she asked, still a little shell-shocked.

“I’m alright. But you are not. You’re bleeding.” He reached for her arm.

“Shouldn’t we be more worried about Malekith? And Loki?” she pointed out as she offered him her arm.

“We will worry about them in a moment. For now, you must be taken care of.”

“It’s just a scratch,” Jane protested, noticing that the bystanders were starting to get closer. “I think we need to get out of here, but I have no idea where we are.”

“Nor do I.”

The sound of car tires screeching made her turn her head and see a familiar red car pulling up near a gate. Darcy came barrelling out of the passenger seat. “Jane! Thor! Oh, my God!”

“You have impeccable timing, Darcy.” Thor gave her a tired smile.

“Well, you guys showed up on the news! Plus, I saw the spaceship from your mom’s house. Come on, let’s get you home, you need to tell me everything!” Darcy grabbed them both by the hand and tugged them back towards the car.

“Do you have any medical supplies here?” Thor asked.

“Back at the house. Oh, Erik’s there too. They found him naked at Stonehenge, we kind of had to get him out of an insane asylum.”

“What?!?” Jane gasped as she got into the backseat, letting Thor slide in beside her. “When did that happen?”

“You have to tell us what happened to you. Ian, get us back home.”

“Right away, Miss Lewis. It’s, uh, nice to meet you, Thor.” Ian said as he started the car. Jane rolled her eyes, ripping part of the shimmery blue dress to make a bandage until they could make it to her mother’s house.


End file.
